Helmet and shoulder pad removal for boarding purposes. Important to remember there are various types of helmets out there so be aware of what your team has and be prepared to remove the face mask and shoulder pads accordingly.

As before, initially the first responder Holding C-spine will be in charge. If The athlete is face down, please be aware how your hands are placed so C-spine can be held through the log roll.

Just a closer look at hand positioning and team members getting ready to perform a log roll.

The team performing a log roll, remembering to keep hands on the patient at all times.

Once the patient is rolled, the front of the shoulder pads need to be undone. Whether that is untying or cutting material. This goes back to being aware and prepared for the equipment which your athletes use.

Once the shoulder pads are prepared or while they are, the facemask is the next thing that will need to be removed. Electric screw driver, ratchet shears, make sure you have the appropriate tools needed for all occasions. Again different helmets will require different tools to remove the facemask.

Once the facemask is removed, the ear pads will need to be removed and/or deflated in some cases. If it is easier and they are filled with air, you can cut the pads being careful not to cut the patient. This can simply done by careful piercing the pad wit a little scissor snip.

Once this is done, someone needs to come in from above placing his/her hands (pictured below) inside the helmet (pictured to the right). This person now has control of the situation. They are in charge of making calls from this point forward. IMPORTANT : hand placement is on the shoulder/neck between helmet and shoulder pads to stabilize.

This is simply a closer look at the hand positioning from the person who is now calling the shots. Person who was previously holding C- spine should stay where they are at holding the same position. They will soon have an important role. Hand positioning should be on the shoulders/neck inside the opening between the helmet and shoulder pads to stabilize.

At this point, team members (pending the size of the athlete 3-5) should be on either side of the patient with hands interlocked underneath the patient. Upon the call from the person who has control (in-between helmet and shoulder pads, stabilizing the neck and shoulders), everybody will lift the patient. The lift should not be high, but enough for the helmet and shoulder pads to be removed and the board to be slid in underneath the patient. When the lift occurs, the team member who was initially holding C-spine will remove the helmet carefully.

Slide to be filled if photo of arms of team members with interlocking arms underneath the patient. If no slide has been entered, please take a second and call a couple people up and demonstrate with those that are being shown this power point.

After removing the helmet, the shoulder pads are removed. Shortly there after you can see the spine board coming in underneath. Picture will be shown later in this power point from a different angle.

Pictures of the shoulder pads being completely removed while the board is coming in. You can notice the height as which the patient was lifted in this picture.

Once the pads have been removed, a collar should be placed on the board open then the patient lowered as a team and secured in the collar. Person who removed the pads or appropriate medical personnel can do this.

Here is a good picture of the team members, you can see three on either side with the caller standing and the person who had initial C-Spine at the patients head. Little bigger patients might need a couple more people on either side to lift.

Here is an angle with the patient lifted and the board being slid in from the feet. Also a good picture to see the height at which the patient was lifted off the ground.

This is new to everybody, and as everybody is learning please be patient. If you do not have the proper number of people on hand to accomplish this correctly please do not attempt. If you have questions, please seek out the proper authority figure. Whether that is a/your high school athletic trainer, proper ambulance or fire department directors. We are all here work together. A special thanks to Dr. Kirk, her staff from JPS, and TCU who offered their equipment for this training exercise.