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Last haunt I did we had a person have a major heart attack. I could tell just by looking at him because I used to be an EMT. He didn't want me to call an ambulance but I did anyway.. he survived with a triple bypass. Moral of the story... when I open back up in a few years I will do like major Vegas hotels do and invest in a defibrillator and train a few staff members. Beyond that I will just call an ambulance beyond first aid.
There are better ways to be covered without having a nurses station and paying $25 per hour. Actors in a small haunt know how to offer some assistance, you even have little course if necessary. Or for a little larger deal, you have your own security staff, kind of inspired by the Las Vegas casino thing. They might make $10 an hour and are yours with the intention of just getting help in a timely manner. Mostly their job is to direct people to the exits or onward to the next section of entertainment. Kind of like store keeper just say hello so shopp lifters may chose not to strike since they have been aknowledged.
Some may already be people with those skills but that isn't thier special intent.
I have had about 3 younger girls a year go from the first room into something else that caused asthma attacks and hyperventilation. So the only way to restore their breathing was with oxygen bottles and people that knew where and what oxygen bottles were for. Some didn't have their little spray bottle, others had no idea they had a problem like that. It wasn't fog machines, it was just too many things happening at one time going from a regular room to dark odd shaped hallways.
Actual injuries are actually very low in a poll of lots of haunted houses. Fire people and security people tend to overlap these skills rather than having an ambulance on standby like an Evil Kenevil jump where someone is definitely going to get messed up.
Spend the $300 on insurance, not the lawyer. That's my advice (and I'm not even charging you for it).
my thoughts,before i retired to play at the lizzie borden house,i was a paramedic firefighter for 20 years,that being said...NEVER EVER have your emt stand by while rescue is enroute for several reasons, your nor qualified to judge if an injury is serious or not,injuries arent always what they seem,especially medical issues.the stand by emt is risking his liscensure by standing by and doing nothing while someone is ill or injured,it would be neglect and the state your emt is licensed in will yank his ticket.never decide what is an emergency and what unless your qualified to do so,again i repeat illness and injury quite often mimic a different illness or injury.you got an emt on staff...use him,fuck whatever your lawyer says,do the right thing for the ill and injured, which have your emt treat,have rescue tranport,and document in detail. as i said i was a firefighter-paramedic for 20 years,if anyone here has any questions,please feel free to contact me,if i cant answer it,ill get you pointed in the direction of someone who can.haunts have absolutley got to remain safe
Look up,during daylight for any half-rotted limbs that a wind could bring down on customers.
Do you know what poison ivy looks like? How about the rest of the noxious weeds that can make someone's next few weeks miserable?
Tree roots, sticks can slide forciably into sandals and lesser footwear causing fairly long-term discomfort and much worse.
(Ban such footwear?) I know of one outdoor haunt that does this. A mere foot-injury can require much time to heal.
Keep the staggering, screaming drunks OUT!
Make groups smaller rather than larger. Have enough employees to watch the number of customers anticipated.
Don't "Chase!"
Watch the weather forecasts, weather radar..
Be aware of the local wild animal population, don't let them "Help Out"!
Two nights ago, we heard a very long, loud howl, from just over the cliff from our house late at night that was very non-coyote-like.
I think the rumors of Wolf sightings just might have truth behind them. (A man's illegal "Pet" Wolf escaped a year ago just North of town...)