As dramatic and experiential as an event can be, organizers should consider the safety of their attendees at the venue and in its surroundings as they may be held liable for attendees’ well-being. Safety is more than just meeting in a properly built structure. It includes plans for escape during emergencies, security in and around the venue location, and even the ability to accommodate the permissible number of individuals who can safely occupy a location.

When looking for just the right venue, consider the following.

• Structure safety – Is the building or site able to withstand a weather-related event, or destructive acts of violence?
• Emergency Safety – How will attendees flow through your event? Your venue should have an adequate number of escape routes that allow attendees to exit during emergencies. Are exits clearly marked for egress during emergencies? How would attendees shelter in place during a crisis?
• Maximum capacity – How would you handle a sellout crowd or manage overflow crowds? Local and state laws regulate the number people inside a public venue. Fire codes should be observed in order to safeguard attendee and even firefighter safety during a crisis.
• Venue surroundings – Is it safe to walk to and from the site during the early morning or late at night? Will the attendees feel secure in the space? What is the level of crime is nearby the venue? Is your meeting politically charged as to attract demonstrations?

I’m sure every planner would like a venue filled to capacity or that attendee numbers exceeded expectations. Scrambling at the last minute does not allow for proper risk assessment so be sure to plan for that situation by having overflow options available. What is the capacity for the overflow space and the stability of the structure? Is it easily accessible to the main meeting space? What are the evacuation routes? These are questions to consider.

Access

It has been more than 30 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act became law. It prohibits the discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including public accommodations and communications.

More unique venues may not have ADA measures readily available. Consider how you can provide adjustments in the following areas that will meet these federal requirements.

• Accessible performance, eating and restroom areas
• Audio and Visual Adjustments (Interpreters, Video Screens, Captioning, Transcription, etc.)
• Digital accommodations?
• Parking and Drop Off areas
• Ramps, Lifts, Elevators
• Service animals
• Sidewalks and curb ramps
• Wheelchair accommodation (Door and aisle width, seating space, smooth walkways, etc.)

Your emergency plan should also include a section on assisting the disabled during an evacuation or sheltering in place. It may be helpful to share this information with any attendees that might need additional assistance during a crisis. A great resource on accessibility is the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Disability Employment Policy.*

During a previous event, I realized the importance of proximity between the stairs and the elevators. The location had a beautiful staircase going between the two floors of event space, looking out ceiling to floor windows to a waterfront outside. Most of the event attendees could navigate the staircase easily but those who preferred to take the elevator had a bit more work to move between the floors. The elevator was located on the far side of the hotel which meant more walking just to rejoin the event activities. Now, I evaluate the distance to ensure attendees are not spending extra time and extra steps.

Finding amazing locations and venues with practical safety accommodations for all your attendees can be done. Research and flexibility are key.

* https://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/accommodations.htm

Review your event and associated activities to realistically plan how much support you will need. As the organizing planner, you cannot be in multiple places at one time. This is why you have a team to which you can delegate tasks. This team becomes your eyes, ears, feet and hands to monitor event activities, attendee reactions and needs, and developing situations before they become crises or emergencies.

Staff

Taking the lead in planning an event requires an attention to details while keeping the goal of the event in focus. It’s a responsibility that keeps one’s daily To Do very full. That’s why working with a team is helpful, even key to keeping one’s sanity. Your team can be helpful during idea development and during task delegation.

There is a large whiteboard in my office where ideas for my current projects are jotted down in a variety of colors. During the planning of several events, my team and I would brainstorm potential ideas and concepts. No idea was too outrageous or dull. In addition to planning these events together, it also kept everyone informed. Communication with one’s team is key to ensure everyone understand the plan and what is anticipated. The team also had access to a shared folder where current projects, ideas and administrative details were filed. My goal was to ensure the event could progress without me if I was called away on another more pressing project or incapacitated.

Training

Continuing education is also helpful to make sure your staff is up to date on current processes, technology and trends. Most organizations provide opportunities for employees to take classes, attend conferences and purchase training materials. If budget constraints restrict paid training, there is a wealth of information online that is free or low cost. In addition to personal development, training also provides interaction with other professionals that can be used for networking or mentorship.

Contractors

You may need to hire contractors for specialized roles before, during and after the event. Be specific in writing as to the role, responsibilities and expectations they will have. You should have an attorney or your organization’s legal department review the contract or MOU (memorandum of understanding) to ensure all parties are properly represented and liability is shared.

Open communication with your contractors is helpful as they may be on the front lines to your attendee experience. They can provide useful feedback on how to improve your event or even to provide real-time modifications. Contractors can also be future contacts for upcoming events or provide expert advice.

Volunteers

Volunteers are often unsung heroes of events. They willingly give their time and abilities to the success of an event. While many are skilled in their respective areas, everyone needs a bit of training to understand the goals of your event. Here is a checklist to review when incorporating and training your volunteers.

1. Background checks. We often believe the best in humanity and we assume good intentions about everyone. Yet, it is important to do your due diligence, especially for those who may handle financial transactions and those who interact with children.
2. Legal waivers. Volunteers become your responsibility when they engage in tasks for your event. Provide a safe work environment. Supply safety gear to protect them. Role-specific waivers can be used if volunteers engage in certain tasks like construction, physical activities or even disaster response.
3. Volunteers are often given duties where the need is the greatest and often with very short notice. Be sure to educate your volunteers with basic information of your event. This ensures they have a general understanding of what happens where, who should be there and how to best complete the assigned task. It also allows volunteers to shift between assignments with little to no additional instruction.
4. Roles and responsibilities. Be sure outline your needs upfront and who would be fit suited for each duty. It is important that your volunteers can handle the task that you require. Pair appropriate responsibilities with volunteer abilities. Also, outline who the volunteers should report to, just in case they have questions.

Volunteering is a passion for me and I’ve volunteered in a variety of events. They have included attendee registrations at conferences and physical events to cooking and kitchen detail for community food programs to working with kids and seniors. After each event, I was always pleased that I contributed to my community in some way but the most satisfying experiences have included clear job assignments and directions, and appreciation of my time.

Always Say Thank You

It may not appear from the outset but gratitude to your volunteers, contractors and staff goes a long way to ensure your event’s success. Their actions will reflect their appreciation of you as a planner but also of your event. Gratitude can be shown in a variety of ways, including useful event swag, event partner discounts, even a public acknowledgement may be welcome.

Due diligence is essential for event planners. While you won’t be able to stop a hurricane in its tracks, you can do your best to keep your attendees safe, consider an alternative meeting space or even change the event date. In a court of law, it must be apparent that you did your best to mitigate a crisis. This is called reasonable care. A thorough risk management plan is key to your success.

Say what? You aren’t coming?!

It was my first real crisis as an event planner. The early morning call came the day our conference was scheduled to begin. Our keynote speaker, based in England, was alerted by his government that he would not be able to fly internationally since he had just traveled to the Middle East a short time before. What was I to do? When I worked as a television producer, I might have a guest cancel at the last minute, but this was the first time it happened when planning a conference with over 300 attendees! After consulting with the president of my organization, we opted to do something liberating. We gave the attendees the night off…and they appreciated it! Many had flown in earlier in the day after a full day of work and were more than happy to head to their rooms and rest before the conference began.

Thankfully, the sudden cancellation did not cause major disruption to the rest of the conference. For the open speaker slots created by the sudden cancellation, we simply shifted around our existing speakers and lengthened a few of the speaking slots.

Risk Analysis

Speaker cancellations are just one example to include in a risk analysis of your event. Other topics should be relevant to your event. You may not encounter a hurricane in Oklahoma but you should consider a significant weather event during the area’s tornado season. Every event should anticipate medical emergencies and how to handle them. Once you outline all potential risks to your event, it is time to analyze and mitigate them.

Crisis Communication

It is essential during a crisis that your team know exactly what to do and when. Outline responsibilities for each person and explain dependencies among the responsibilities. A chain of command will clarify many questions, including who will be the single voice speaking to the media or who is the person to issue the “Go” command and under what circumstances.

Train and practice with your staff on how to handle crisis. Rehearse the communications plan often with practical training. Drill the plan with role play examples or scenarios where the team must think through what they will do and when. The crisis plan should become muscle memory since human emotions may often paralyze or distract from what must be done at moment’s notice.

Each venue is different and so might be the escape plan. Partner with venue staff to coordinate emergency plans so you work in tandem. Know how to reach the security team through the house phone or radio communication. Ensure the exits are clearly marked and that your team and attendees know how to escape the area. Explain where they should meet once outside of the building. This information can be shared in the event app and highlighted with occasional reminders.

Consider how you will alert stakeholders to the crisis and what is being done to mitigate it. Your CEO should not hear about a crisis from the news media before learning about it from you. Think through how you will alert your attendees to impending danger. Most conferences use an event app to share seminar information. Look at how you can multipurpose the app to alert the attendees to impending danger. Also think through if all communication lines are down (no phone, no internet), how will you alert your attendees and their families to their safety?

As an event planner, you are accountable for the event’s success but also for the safety and security of the attendees, vendors and others. It is vital that you evaluate the risks. Then, create a risk management plan to mitigate disasters and communicate the plan to your shareholders. Murphy’s Law might still happen but you’ll be ready.