Emergency Procedures for BMC Events
This procedure supports the BMC’s duty of care to participants, volunteers and the public. Ensuring all incidents, accidents, and near-misses at BMC events are handled safely, consistently, and reported correctly.
A copy of this document should be held on site at events for quick reference in an emergency.
Immediate Priorities
Top 10 things to do in an emergency
Stay calm and ensure everyone’s immediate safety.
Provide or arrange first aid.
Call emergency services (999).
Stop the activity if needed to protect others.
Inform the Event Organiser.
Record key facts while fresh in memory.
Keep witnesses and equipment in place (don’t move items unnecessarily).
Do not speak to press or post online.
Contact the BMC Office or CEO as soon as possible if a major incident.
Complete the Incident, Accident & Near-Miss Form within 48 hours.
Reporting Flow: Who Does What
| Step | Action | Responsible Person | Timeframe |
| 1. | Ensure safety, provide first aid, call 999 if needed | Activity Lead / First Aider | Immediately |
| 2. | Assess severity (minor/major/near-miss) and decide whether to suspend activity | Activity Lead / Event Organiser | Immediately |
| 3. | Inform Event Organiser and agree next actions | Activity Lead | Within 10 minutes |
| 4. | Inform BMC CEO if major. | Event Organiser | ASAP |
| 5. | Record incident details, witness info and photos (if relevant) | Event Organiser / Activity Lead / Event Guardian | Within 24 hours |
| 6. | Complete Incident Form | Event Organiser / Event Guardian | Within 48 hours |
| 7. | Conduct short debrief and share any learning points with BMC Events Team | Event Organiser | Within 1 week |
What Counts as an Emergency?
An emergency includes, but is not limited to:
Serious injury or illness requiring immediate medical attention (e.g. fracture, head injury, heart issue)
A missing participant (particularly anyone under 18)
Evacuation, fatality, or police attendance
Any safeguarding concern or removal of a participant for safety reasons
Incident Categories and Actions
| Type | Examples | What to Do |
| Minor incident | Minor injury treated on site, minor fall, mild illness | Give first aid / support, inform Event Organiser, submit an Incident Form. |
| Major incident | Serious injury, hospital visit, fatality, missing person, emergency-services callout | Stop activities if necessary, call 999, inform BMC Staff, preserve evidence, complete Incident Form within 24 hours. |
| Near-miss | Equipment failure, fall with no injury, unsafe behaviour avoided | Record what happened. Complete Incident Form, send to BMC for learning. |
Safeguarding Incidents
If the incident involves a child or adult at risk or is deemed a safeguarding concern, follow safeguarding procedures.
Report immediately to the Event Guardian or BMC Safeguarding Team.
Use the online safeguarding concern form.
Communication and Media Guidance
Do not release names or personal details of anyone involved.
Do not speculate on causes or fault.
Politely decline to comment publicly and direct all media or social-media enquiries to: BMC Communications Team – press@thebmc.co.uk
Do not post details or photos of the incident on social media.
Where appropriate, the BMC will coordinate official statements once facts are verified.
Information You Must Have Before the Event
List of all participants (names, emergency contacts, and any medical conditions).
Copies of Parental Consent Forms for all under-18s.
Contact details for key BMC staff (see Section 8).
Knowledge of local emergency services and nearest hospital.
A copy of this procedure and the Incident Form accessible at the event site.
Key BMC Contacts
To ensure you always have the latest details, please refer to the current BMC Staff list on the BMC website:
Essential Contacts (as of 2026):
BMC Office: 0161 445 6111 | events@thebmc.co.uk
BMC CEO: Paul Ratcliffe – p.ratcliffe@thebmc.co.uk
Inclusion & Safeguarding Manager: Helen Murphy - helen.murphy@thebmc.co.uk
Events Manager: Zoe Spriggins – zoe@thebmc.co.uk
Events Officer: Alex Hughes – alex.hughes@thebmc.co.uk
After the Incident
- Complete documentation:
Fill in the BMC Incident, Accident & Near-miss Form or the Safeguarding Report Form.
Attach witness statements or photos where appropriate
- Debrief:
Hold a short debrief with staff/volunteers
Identify any improvements or learning points
Share feedback with the BMC Events Team for review and inclusion in future risk assessments
If the incident is of a serious nature, the BMC are available to offer any support where needed. BMC membership does include counselling cover following an accident resulting in your bodily injury, or after you witness another climber sustain bodily injury. Up to £250 per week (Max £5,000).
If affected, please do consider reaching out to support services such as:
Your GP
Review and Learning
The BMC Events Team log all incident reports and reviews trends with the BMC Health & Safety Group.
Lessons learned are used to update training, event planning and risk management procedures.
Summaries of anonymised learning points may be shared across volunteer networks.
Contact
BMC Events Team
0161 445 6111
177–179 Burton Road, Manchester, M20 2BB
BMC Safeguarding Team
0161 438 3305
177–179 Burton Road, Manchester, M20 2BB