Consider the ‘What If’s’
In many cases, the setbacks that planners encounter may be small or not life threatening, but they can still cause serious disruptions, depending on the context.
“It could be something simple, like a speaker is running late because of a wreck on the way from the airport,” said Eisenstodt. “But if everyone is there to see that speaker, that in fact could be a disaster. That’s why I think it’s so important to have an internal conversation and ask yourself, ‘What is the worst thing that could happen?’”
Many organizations opt to purchase a weather insurance policy to protect the financial viability of their event. Though some budget-conscious planners might view insurance as an unnecessary expense, it can be tremendously useful in the long run.
“You’re protecting yourself against the potential loss,” said Pantuso. “It’s not necessarily about putting the plan into place; it’s having the plan available and ready. You hope you never need fire insurance on your home, but you’re glad to have it.”
Investigate Potential Security Risks
Security is another important subject for planners to sit down and discuss with their team.
“You always have to look at what concerns there are over terrorism,” said Pantuso. “You never know when there might be someone local who just wants to get visibility.”
Eisenstodt described one situation when a person came to register at a judicial event and made the staff uneasy, prompting them to call security. They later discovered that the individual was armed and intended to shoot one of the officials. who was present
“I hope that everyone is planning for an active-shooter situation,” she said.
Planners should look into things like the average response time of local law enforcement and find out which venues provide their own security staff. If there are any major concerns, they might consider hiring personnel from a private security firm or bringing in plainclothes security officers.
“We typically meet with the local police department to ask if there’s anything delegates need to look out for as they’re out and about in town or whether we need security outside in pedestrian areas,” said Pantuso. “Again, it’s just the idea of being prepared for what may never happen.”
Provide Attendees an Emergency Contact List
As planners scan their preplanning checklist, they should evaluate what information is critical to share with attendees, such as emergency contact information.
“If there’s an emergency situation, attendees need to know — what are the steps, what are the numbers and who to get in touch with,” said Pantuso.
It is also crucial to provide adequate information about the chain of command so attendees know which staff members to contact about different situations.
“When you have 3,500 people at a show at the same time, every once in a great, great while, you encounter situations where people aren’t following the rules or being respectful,” said Pantuso. “These are not necessarily security situations but still need attention.”
