21st Century FEMA Study Course: Special Events Contingency Planning for Public Safety Agencies (IS-15.b) - Concerts, Carnivals, Air Shows, Parades, Fairs, Aquatic Events, Festivals, Conventions
U.S. Government, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
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Copyright 2011 Progressive Management
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IS-15.b Special Events Contingency Planning for Public Safety Agencies
Lesson 1: What Is a Special Event?
Course Welcome
This course introduces you to planning for or conducting a special event. At the end of this course, you should be able to:
* Define a special event.
* Identify the hazards and associated risks to address when planning for any event.
* Describe the importance of pre-event planning and determine who should be included on the planning team.
* List the key issues you should consider during the pre-event planning process.
* Identify three spectator management and crowd-control issues.
* Describe the special risks associated with high-profile or controversial events.
* Describe why the Incident Command System (ICS) should be used to manage special events.
* Match the tasks that must be completed during any event to the agency with responsibility for the task.
* Determine when specific types of events require special planning considerations.
Lesson Overview
This lesson describes what constitutes a special event and provides examples of special events. The lesson includes guidelines to follow for identifying special events, while emphasizing the demand for community resources. The process of determining what constitutes a special event, then completing comprehensive planning, is important because:
* Special events are often high visibility and the community's reputation is on the line.
* Costs for response and recovery for incidents involving special events can be extremely high.
Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
* Define a special event.
* Identify examples of special events.
What Is a Special Event?
To begin planning for your event, it’s important to first determine whether your community considers the event to be a special event. In general, a special event is defined as a nonroutine activity within a community that brings together a large number of people. However, determining what does or does not constitute a special event for your community is not always as simple as applying a definition.
To determine whether your community considers an event to be a special event, emphasis should be placed on your community’s ability to respond to the exceptional demands that the event places on response services rather than on the total number of people attending the event.
Addressing the following questions can help your community make a determination:
* Is the event out of the ordinary or nonroutine?
A nonroutine event is usually considered a special event.
* Does the event place a strain on community resources?
A strain on community resources usually indicates a special event.
* Does the event attract a large number of people?
A large number of people may, but does not necessarily, constitute a special event.
* Does the event require permitting or additional planning, preparation, and mitigation efforts of local agencies?
Additional planning, preparedness, and mitigation efforts on the part of local emergency management and public safety agencies usually indicate a special event.
Each community’s resources are different. What may be classified as a special event in one community may not place a strain on resources in another community.
Remember, a special event:
* Is nonroutine.
* Places a strain on community resources.
* May involve a large number of people.
* Requires special permitting or additional planning, preparation, and mitigation.
Next, you will learn about various types of special events.
What Is a Special Event?
As you learned in the video, a special event is defined as a nonroutine activity within a community that brings together a large number of people.
A special event:
* Is nonroutine.
* Places a strain on community resources.
* May involve a large number of people.
* Requires special permits or additional planning, preparation, and mitigation.
Each community’s resources and laws, ordinances, and permitting process are different. Be sure to review your community’s special event and mass gathering laws and permitting process to get specific information.
Examples of Special Events
Some examples of traditional community special events include:
* Carnivals.
* Fairs.
* Fireworks displays.
* Parades.
Other Examples of Special Events
Other examples of special events include:
Air Events
Air events might include:
* Air shows (acrobatic maneuvers by aircraft, flyovers, and formations).
* Hot air balloon festivals and races.
* Parachute jumps.
Aquatic Events
Aquatic events might include:
* Surfing competitions and demonstrations.
* Watercraft maneuvers.
* Watercraft races (powerboats, sailboats, jet skis).
* Water skiing shows and races.
* Windsurfing competitions and demonstrations.
Concerts
Concerts might take place inside and/or outdoors. Concerts may involve:
* Single performers.
* Groups or multiple performers.
* Single or multiple venues.
* Single or multiple performances.
Conventions
Conventions might include:
* Single-day or multiple-day events.
* Single or multiple sites.
Festivals
Festivals might include:
* Art festivals.
* Balloon festivals (see air events).
* Dance festivals.
* Music festivals.
* Thematic festivals (Renaissance festivals, rodeos).
Motorized Events
Motorized events might include:
* Auto demonstrations and races.
* Motorcycle demonstrations and races.
Political Rallies
Political rallies might include:
* Marches or protests.
* VIP visits.
* Campaign rallies or debates.
Political rallies may be:
* Single-day or multiple-day events.
* Single or multiple sites.
Special Sporting Events
Special sporting events are those that do not regularly occur in a community. For example, a college basketball game involves many people, but because it is a recurring event, community resources are prepared and can usually handle almost any contingency.
Examples of special sporting events might include:
* Bicycle tours and races.
* Marathons and walk-a-thons.
* Regional, national, and international competitions (e.g., Olympics, track and field, volleyball, World Cup).
Spontaneous Events
Spontaneous events are unplanned. Often even spontaneous celebratory events can be out of control. Local officials should anticipate and prepare for spontaneous events such as:
* Celebrations following a large and/or championship sporting event (college bowl games, the World Series, or the Super Bowl).
* Controversial court decisions.
Lesson Summary
This lesson described what constitutes a special event and provided examples of special events. It will also presented guidelines to follow for identifying special events, while emphasizing the demand for community resources.
The next lesson will introduce the importance of planning and how planning relates to the success of an event. It will discuss when communities should begin planning for a special event and will introduce the concept of involving a team of key personnel in the pre-event planning process. It will also discuss the process for organizing the planning team meeting and present common special issues related to pre-event planning.
Lesson 2: Pre-Event Planning
Lesson Overview
This lesson will introduce the importance of planning and how planning relates to the success of an event. The lesson will describe:
* When communities should begin planning for a special event.
* The concept of involving a team of key personnel in the pre-event planning process.
* The process for organizing the planning team meeting.
* Common special issues related to pre-event planning.
Remember that local, tribal, and State laws, ordinances, and regulations always take precedent when planning for special events.
Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
* Describe the importance of pre-event planning to public safety and the overall community.
* Determine who should take part in the planning process.
* Develop a strategy for gaining the community’s cooperation for pre-event planning.
* List the key issues to be considered during the pre-event planning process.
Importance of Planning
Planning any event is difficult. Planning for the potential risks and hazards associated with large public events is even more difficult, but critical to the success of an event.
Planning for large public events has often failed to occur, or when planning did occur, it often failed to identify the potential for disaster, or strategies to mitigate or cope with a major incident. As a result, injuries and deaths have occurred consistently and over a wide range of countries and types of events.
Throughout the United States, at any given time of year, there are festivals, concerts, fairs, sporting events, and many other special events that gather or have the potential to gather large crowds. Under normal conditions, these special events occur with few or no problems. If an incident does occur, then local emergency management is called upon to respond.
Before scheduling a special event, key factors to consider are the:
* Scope of the event.
* Risks to spectators and participants.
* Impact on the community.
* Emergency support required.
Certain types of special events are often associated with particular risks or potential problems. For instance, highly competitive sports events, rock concerts, and festivals tend to produce spectator-generated incidents, while air shows and auto races tend to produce participant-generated incidents.
Having a pre-event plan in place will reduce local emergency management response times and better enable agencies to improvise because contingencies have been discussed beforehand. A pre-event plan defines roles and responsibilities in advance and creates ownership of potential problems for agencies involved in the process.
If you want those who attend an event to have positive memories of it, you need to plan the event carefully, keeping public safety in mind. This lesson will cover those issues that should be addressed in the very early stages of planning or even when discussing promoting or sponsoring such an event.
The Importance of Planning
Planning for any event may be challenging. However, planning for the potential risks and hazards associated with large public events is critical to public safety and the success of any such event.
Before scheduling a special event, planners should consider the:
* Scope of the event.
* Risks to spectators and participants.
* Impact on the community.
* Emergency support required.
Permitting
Many communities require event promoters or sponsors to obtain permits before holding an event. Permits help the planning process by:
* Notifying the community formally of the intent to hold an event.
* Providing details about the event, such as venue, anticipated audience characteristics, and the intent to sell food or merchandise.
Reviewing information on the permit request can provide the planning team with a head start on event preparedness.
The Planning Team
Planning for a special event should begin well in advance of the event. One of the first steps is to bring together those who are hosting the event with those responsible for public safety.
A multidisciplinary planning team should be composed of the promoter or sponsor and all agencies that hold a functional stake in the event, such as:
* Emergency Management.
* Law Enforcement.
* Fire and Rescue.
* Public Works/Utilities.
* Public Health.
* Transportation Authority
It’s important to remember that all involved agencies need to participate on the planning team from the outset to ensure a successful and safe event.
Because different agencies will comprise the planning team, the lead agency should be identified early in the process.
In some communities, the lead agency for public safety planning is the emergency management agency. If this is the case, emergency management will typically lead the way in coordinating the event planning effort.
Advantages of a Team Approach
A team approach to planning offers many advantages, including:
* A Sense of Ownership. The plan is more likely to be used and followed if the tasked organizations have a sense that the plan is “theirs.”
* Greater Access to Resources. Greater knowledge and expertise are brought to bear on the planning effort when more people are involved.
* Forming Cooperative Relationships. Closer professional relationships that are developed during the planning process should translate into better cooperation and coordination during the actual event and any emergencies that may arise.
Promoters or Sponsors
Event promoters or sponsors must be involved in all phases of planning to ensure a successful event. Some promoters or sponsors may be more interested in monetary gain than in public safety. If this appears to be their primary goal, local agency participation is essential. Teamwork promotes successful and safe events.
Ways to encourage promoter participation and ensure public safety at an event might include:
* Requiring promoter attendance at planning meetings to gain the necessary permit(s) to host the event.
* Building public agency regulatory oversight of the promoter into the permit process so that relevant community laws or regulations are followed.
* Requiring the promoter to have adequate contingency plans in place before approving an event.
By working together, the needs of all involved in the event can be met.
Community Cooperation: Mutual Aid
During pre-event planning, each agency on the planning team should review its resources to ensure that all necessary equipment is available. If additional equipment is needed, agencies may need to acquire the equipment or supplies to prepare for the event.
One way for agencies to acquire equipment is to work together with neighboring communities by adopting a local mutual aid and assistance agreement program. A local mutual aid and assistance agreement program allows neighboring communities to pool resources and share liability for damages or loss of equipment.
Community Cooperation: Public-Private Partnerships
Another way that communities can acquire needed equipment or supplies is through public-private partnerships. A public-private partnership is a contractual agreement between a public agency (local, tribal, State, or Federal) and a corporation.
The skills and assets of each party (public and private) are shared in delivering a service or facility for the use of the general public. In addition to the sharing of resources, each party, together with the promoter or sponsor, shares in the risks-and-rewards potential in the delivery of the service and/or facility.
Community Cooperation: Other Established Agreements
It is important that the agencies involved in planning an event know the agreements established between neighboring communities and between communities and private corporations. Agreements may already be established and included as a part of the local Emergency Operations Plan (EOP).
Knowing what resources are available and what agreements are in place will assist with planning the special event and in responding to any unforeseen incidents.
Local Agencies
Although agencies will differ from community to community, certain types of local agencies should always be included in pre-event planning. The types of agencies can include:
* Organizations and agencies representing people with disabilities.
* Emergency services and public safety agencies.
* Health agencies and medical community representatives.
* Legal counsel.
* Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs).
* Public works agencies and utility companies.
* Purchasing and procurement agencies.
Local Agencies: Potential Services Provided
Agency / Description
Aging
Works with local Area Agencies on Aging as well as various other public and private organizations to help older persons and their families find the services and information they need.
Agriculture
Promotes their jurisdiction's agricultural products; encourages production; and ensures consumer, livestock, and plant safety.
Art
Supports and stimulates excellence in all the arts, supports and stimulates full cultural and ethnic diversity in all the arts, and ensures that the arts are accessible to all.
Attorneys General
Serve as legal counselors to agencies and legislatures and as representatives of the public interest. Attorneys General occupy the intersection of law and public policy, consulting in areas such as child-support enforcement, drug policy, and environmental protection.
Banking
Oversees varied business and economic interests. The authority encompasses utilities, insurance, State-chartered financial institutions, securities, retail franchising, and railroads. Serves as the central filing office for corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability companies, business trusts, and Uniform Commercial Code filings.
Consumer Protection
Provides consumer protection services, real estate fraud and information programs, small-claims court advisor programs, dispute settlement services, cable television franchising, adult protective services, fraud protection programs, volunteer and internship programs, and public information and community outreach services. Educates on issues related to consumption and encourages positive consumer-to-business relationships that foster a fair and vigorous marketplace.
Disability
Promotes and improves awareness, availability, and accessibility of information that can help people with disabilities live, learn, love, work, and play independently.
Drug
Establishes policies, priorities, and objectives for the Nation's drug-control program (reduce illicit drug use, manufacturing, and trafficking; drug-related crime and violence; and drug-related health consequences).
Economic Development and Commerce
Partners with communities to advance their economic development efforts. Markets a jurisdiction’s business climate, strategic location, workforce, and natural and cultural resources. Offers economic development incentives and information to enhance a community's ability to compete, diversify, and prosper.
Education
Provides leadership, assistance, oversight, and resources so that every student has access to an education that meets world-class standards. Oversees the jurisdiction’s diverse and dynamic public school system. Enforces education law and regulations. Reforms and improves public elementary school programs, secondary school programs, adult education, some preschool programs, and childcare programs.
Election
Ensures uniformity, fairness, accuracy, and purity in all elections. Promotes the proper administration of election laws, campaign finance disclosure compliance, and voter registration processes by promulgating rules and regulations, issuing instructions, and providing information to electoral boards and general registrars.
Emergency Management
Coordinates all activities necessary to protect communities from natural, technological, and manmade disasters and other emergencies that threaten the jurisdiction. Coordinates Emergency Management Services by providing leadership, planning, education, and resources to protect lives, property, and the environment. Coordinates the response of agencies, in times of emergency or disasters, ensuring that the most appropriate resources are dispatched to the impacted area. Works with local governments, voluntary organizations, and the private sector to develop disaster preparedness plans and mitigation projects, and provides training and exercise activities.
Environment and Natural Resource
Protects human health and the environment.
Fish and Wildlife
Conserves, protects, and enhances fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats.
Health and Medical Community
Promotes and protects the health and safety of all people through the delivery of quality public health services and the promotion of health care standards.
Historic Preservation
Coordinates and supports public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our historic and archeological resources.
Housing and Community Development
Administers affordable housing and community development programs. Creates affordable housing and safe, viable communities that enhance the quality of life for all, especially those of low and moderate income.
Insurance
Regulates the insurance industry and assists consumers and other stakeholders with insurance issues that are important to them.
Labor and Employment
Fosters and promotes the welfare of job seekers, wage earners, and retirees by improving their working conditions; advancing their opportunities for profitable employment; protecting their retirement and health care benefits; helping employers find workers; strengthening free collective bargaining; and tracking changes in employment, prices, and other economic measurements.
Libraries
Operates the primary research library for the jurisdiction. Collects and preserves materials about the jurisdiction and its history. Provides electronic access to library materials housed in the jurisdiction’s libraries. Acts as the jurisdiction's publisher or distributor of official records and periodicals. Maintains and circulates special collections, such as "Talking Books" for blind and physically impaired citizens or e-books. Provides telephone or online reference services. Operates literacy or reading programs.
Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs)
Develops, trains, and tests a hazardous substances emergency response plan for the jurisdiction. Develops procedures for regulated facilities to provide notification of a hazardous release to the LEPC. Develops procedures for receiving and processing community right-to-know requests from the public. Provides for public notification of committee activities.
Motor Vehicle
Issues vehicle registrations and titles; examines and licenses drivers; administers financial responsibility, mandatory insurance, and driver improvement programs; conducts administrative reviews under "drunk driver" laws; and provides records management for all of these functions.
Public Safety
Operates the jurisdiction's highway patrol or police and their training facilities, which may include the bureau of investigation, crime lab, division of fire safety, commercial carrier inspection, and weight load management office; office of narcotics enforcement; or State public safety telecommunications network.
Public Utilities and Public Service
Regulates businesses that provide telephone, cable communications, electricity, gas, oil, and other utilities, with the aim of providing consumer protection to the jurisdiction's citizens.
Purchasing and Procurement
Oversees procurement policy and procedures and ensures the integrity of the jurisdiction’s procurement system.
Securities
Protects investors against securities fraud and provides aggressive enforcement actions against any firm or individual who has violated the statutes to the detriment of investors. Provides for the licensing and regulation of securities broker-dealers, agents, investment advisers, and investment adviser representatives and financial planners. Promotes financial literacy.
Social Service
Improves the quality of life for citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.
Surplus Property
Receives, warehouses, and redistributes personal property that is surplus. Screens, warehouses, and distributes surplus property allocated from military installations.
Tax and Revenue
Collects revenues and administers programs to fund public services, and advocates sound tax policy. Promotes fairness, consistency, and uniformity in the development and application of tax law and policy. Promotes correct and timely payment of taxes through education and enforcement.
Tourism
Promotes travel and tourism.
Transportation
Builds, maintains, and operates the roads, bridges, and tunnels. Provides funding for airports, seaports, rail, and other public transportation.
Treasurer
Serves as guardian of the taxpayers' money that is used to operate governments and provide services.
Utility
Creates and maintains a regulatory environment that ensures safe, reliable, and efficient utility services at fair and reasonable rates.
Vocational and Rehabilitation
Coordinates and provides counseling, evaluation, and job placement services for people with disabilities.
Weights and Measures
Assures that equity prevails in the marketplace for both buyer and seller. Inspects commercial weighing and measuring devices for accuracy, including large truck scales at local grain elevators; livestock scales; computing scales at supermarkets; and meters used to measure bulk deliveries of refined fuels, liquefied petroleum gases, and service station dispensers. Checks the accuracy of packaged products sold by weight, measure, or count.
Local Leaders
Although community leadership differs from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, community leaders should always be included in pre-event planning. Some types of community leaders include the:
* City Manager.
* Community relations officials.
* Emergency services officials (fire, emergency medical services, and police).
* Mayors, city council members, and other elected officials.
Community Leadership Roles
Leadership / Description
City Manager
Directs and supervises the administration of all departments, offices, and agencies of the city, except as otherwise provided in the city's charter. Advises the city council regarding the financial condition of the city, its future needs, and all matters related to its proper administration. Proposes and submits an annual budget to the city council and, after approval, implements the budget. Implements city policy as determined by the Mayor and city council by providing management and administrative support.
Community Relations Officials
Manage a complete communications program to keep residents and the media informed of municipal services and activities. Employ a variety of print and electronic resources, including a community newsletter, special brochures and informational materials, news releases and media advisories, video and cable television, telephone bulletin boards, multimedia kiosks, and the Internet. Ensure an educated and involved citizenry and an alert media by providing information on city programs and activities through timely and efficient communication methods.
Emergency Services Officials
Coordinate all activities necessary to protect communities from natural, technological, and manmade disasters and other emergencies that threaten the jurisdiction. Coordinate emergency management services by providing leadership, planning, education, and resources to protect lives, property, and the environment. In times of emergency or disaster, coordinate the response by ensuring that the most appropriate resources are dispatched to the impacted area. Work with local governments, voluntary organizations, and the private sector to develop disaster preparedness plans and mitigation projects, and provide training and exercise activities.
Mayors
Direct city departments and appoint department heads, with the advice and consent of the city council. Submit budgets to city councils. Preside at city council meetings and vote in the event of a tie. Approve or veto ordinances passed by the city council and have the power to veto whole ordinances or parts of appropriations bills. May also appoint members of city boards and commissions.
City Council Members, and Other Elected Officials
Responsible to the city's residents for all municipal programs and services, as well as local policy decisions affecting city residents in a wide number of areas, including land use, solid waste, air quality, and protecting and enhancing the city's revenue base.
Other Potential Planning Team Members
For specific types of special events, potential planning team members might include:
* Animal care and control organizations.
* The Chamber of Commerce.
* Communications representatives.
* Community services representatives and voluntary organizations.
* Labor and professional organizations.
* Private-sector representatives.
* School officials.
Other Team Member Roles
Leadership / Description
Animal care and control organizations
Deliver effective, courteous, and responsive animal care and control services to the residents of the community. Responsible for stray, injured, abandoned, neglected, and mistreated animals, as well as for the enforcement of all local and State animal control and welfare laws.
Aviation and coastal authorities
Regulate and promote marine safety, recreational boating safety, and civil aviation safety; conduct search and rescue operations; and ensure port security.
Chamber of Commerce
Provides community leadership; supports economic development, education, local government, and quality of life for the community. Promotes local business and displays what the community has to offer to prospective relocating families and businesses.
Public Information Officer
Reports directly to the city administrator and is responsible for a city’s comprehensive, successful public information efforts to create a strategically planned network of coordinated outreach activities directed at the citizens. Implements and maintains the city’s communication programs, including local access cable TV, the World Wide Web, and the city newsletter, to deliver messages directly to the citizens most effectively. Oversees the city’s media relations efforts, while emphasizing the regular dissemination of news on the multitude of positive city programs, projects, and services.
Local media
Create, report on, and disseminate print and multimedia content that educate, inform, engage, and inspire the public.
Community services representatives and voluntary organizations (American Red Cross, Lions Clubs, Shriners, Veterans of Foreign Wars, etc.)
Offer community services that help the needy, provide support and comfort for military members and their families, and promote health and safety. Provide international relief and development programs. Foster self-improvement through leadership, education, the perpetuation of moral values, and community involvement. Work closely with national organizations. Promote constructive community service with volunteerism benefiting education, the environment, health sciences, and civic projects.
Industrial and military installations
Oversee day-to-day operations, maintenance, safety, and security of industrial and military installations that may be present in and around communities.
Labor and professional organizations
Represent persons employed in many fields and occupations. Provide sources of information on career options as well as training and education requirements and opportunities.
Private sector representatives
Provide jobs and income to the community.
School board officials
Provide leadership, assistance, oversight, and resources so that every student has access to an education that meets standards. Oversee the jurisdiction’s diverse and dynamic public school system. Enforce education law and regulations locally, and reform and improve public elementary school programs, secondary school programs, adult education, some preschool programs, and childcare programs.
The Initial Planning Team Meeting
All involved agencies need to participate on the planning team from the outset to ensure a successful and safe event.
At its initial meeting, the planning team should:
* Develop a mission statement.
* Develop event objectives.
* Determine the necessary components of the public safety plan.
The Initial Planning Team Meeting—Planning Considerations
During the initial planning meeting, the planning team should consider:
* The promoter’s or sponsoring organization’s purpose and experience.
* Event risks (including crowds, staffing, food and shelter, parking, transportation, medical facilities).
* Previous event concerns.
* Relevant local concerns.
* Weather.
* Community impact.
Developing a Mission Statement
Every special event has a mission, purpose, or reason for taking place. Often the mission expresses why the special event is occurring.
An effective mission statement must:
* Include public health and safety as a critical goal for the event.
* Express the special event’s purpose in a way that inspires commitment and innovation.
* Resonate with the people working on and for the special event, as well as with the various attendees that the event hopes to attract.
Developing a Mission Statement—Questions To Answer
At the very least, the mission statement should answer four key questions:
1. What is the purpose of the special event?
2. What are we doing to address the purpose?
3. What benefits or values will result from the event?
4. How will public health and safety be protected?
Examples of Special Event Mission Statements
Japanese Cultural Fair:
The purpose of the Japanese Cultural Fair is to provide an opportunity, in a safe environment, for the community to increase its awareness and understanding of the Japanese community as well as Japanese culture, both traditional and contemporary. We believe that through an increased exposure to the arts, crafts, and culture of Japan, we can improve mutual understanding among neighbors as well as enrich our community life.