The best time to make a contingency plan is when you don’t need it. Here are some guidelines to get you started.
Organization guidelines
- The first priority is safety.
- Have guideline for who will be in charge if an emergency situation occurs. Know who to call, when to call and where to call.
- Make up an incident report sheet providing detailed information and whom it should go to.
- In medical emergencies, details who accompanies an attendee to hospital and how long they stay.
- Have a control room location, equipment and staffing.
- Have a plan in place for communication among attendees, staff, home office, media and emergency personnel.
- Procedures in place for emergency evacuation, with a designated relocation site.
On site
- Have detailed floor plans.
- Vicinity map.
- Location of nearest 24-hour pharmacy and nearest hospital.
- Know the location of alternate airports.
- Know where to get the latest weather updates and forecasts.
- Is there a possibility of an on-site doctor, automatic external defibrillator, PA system, CPR-certified staff and 24-hour security.
- Go over the venue fire plan and public emergency checklist. Walk the fire plan if you can, with on-site personnel.
- If the event is politically controversial, decide if added police security or presence is necessary.
Documents
- Have a complete list of all attendees, with cell numbers, emergency contacts, and special needs if applicable.
- Keep an arrival/departures manifest for all attendees.
- Keep a rooming list with room numbers
- Contingency plans for specific emergencies ( fire/earthquake/ bomb threat/ terrorism/extreme weather).
Contact numbers
- Local emergency numbers ambulance, fire, police.
- Hotel/ venue Security
- Transportation: have numbers for airlines, airports, car rental, trains, bus companies and taxi.
- Passport/visa contacts, human resources and legal departments, Red Cross and local consulate.
Distribution
- Distribute your full emergency plan to all personnel on-site with copies to the event owner, home office emergency or security teams and on-site security team.
- Give all attendees on-site hotel contact information, and a 24-hour emergency hotline number.
- During the event, let people know the nearest exits, the evacuation route from the hotel or venue and where to report in an emergency.
