WHO IS THIS FOR?
Small/medium sized gatherings/events/festivals.
We believe these simple conceptual tips should be employed to help make your event safer.
For larger events, EMA is proud to be working on a project with Event Safety Technical Association (ESTA) and Event Safety Alliance (ESA).
1) Crisis-Intervention
Team Liaison
Team member to interface with EMTs, Police Department, Fire Department, Event Security & Harm reduction staff. Should be experienced and competent manager, able to be a point of contact with all different risk management & event staff teams.
This person should be identified in the ESMP and be appointed or hired by the "Health and Safety Lead" (if not the lead) for the event.
2) Planning/Disaster/Legal
All gatherings should have a plan. We call this an "Event Safety Management Plan" or ESMP.
(ESMP) that includes considerations for the health and safety of attendees at their events. The ESMP should include a risk assessment and should also identify the "health and safety "lead".
We recommend frequent planning meetings even for small gatherings. For larger events disaster (rain, wind, fire, natural disaster) plans should be considered and drawn up, reviewed, and discussed with pertinent teams before build out or gathering.
These plans should take into account local law enforcement & emergency service regulations, in addition to the history of the grounds the event is occurring on. Additionally, confirmation of "command chain" in emergency situations is critical. All team members associated with this should be assumed to be "on-Comm" for the duration of the event and should be vetted accordingly.
For the health and safety lead, consideration should be taken for preventative health and safety measures that may include consideration of damaging high decibel sound to attendees and wildlife, a positioning of speakers and monitors, and hearing protection provided to workers and event attendees upon request. For more health and safety considerations, please refer to our guide.
For a more thorough planning guide:
For tips on fire safety, please visit:
3) Water + Electrolyte Availability
A water/electrolyte plan should be in place before any building of the event occurs. This includes water stations, staff training/shift plans, and access to rehydration resources in the event of heat-stroke or heat exhaustion away from the Crisis Intervention team. All client-facing staff should be trained in customer service & general event information. Electrolytes: For multi-day events, electrolyte loss becomes a key factor in the sustainability of the event and the well-being of attendees. This should include electrolyte gel or tablets, multivitamins, Coconut Water/Gatorade/Powerade/etc (preference to drinks without high fructose corn syrup or crystalline sugar), and (organic) salty snacks. 3rd party vendors should handle the sale, but general/free distribution should be performed by event staff.
Cool down areas can be helpful to encourage attendees not to over-exert themselves or to provide needed space for relaxation. Events that experience high temperatures or a lot of sun exposure should consider misters in the cool down area.
4) Harm Reduction Services/Staff
Internal harm reduction awareness & messaging team - Rotating shifts of volunteers/staff that are able to dispense information about the venue, line-up, water, earplugs, feminine products, condoms and can connect with Crisis Intervention Team to escalate issues they hear about. This shift system should have both a fixed point of contact (vendor table/tent/dome/etc) but also involve roving staff/volunteers to identify situations before they escalate to need Crisis Intervention. Harm Reduction staff should also be in charge of helping to identify pathing hazards (sharp objects, wet floors, loose wires). They should be trained to communicate with individuals or staff in charge of janitorial duties, security, and medical. There should be a separate area for individuals who need various types of sanctuary or additional assistance, as space allows.
5) Rest/ Relaxation
Activities should be set up encouraging festival goers to engage in low energy manner, including a comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing relaxation area. These areas should be supervised by the harm reduction staff.
These are places to help encourage or provide a place for dance-hot event goers to cool down. Misters (away from electricity) should be looked into for events that are known to be hot or are expecting hot temperatures.
6) Pathing
This is part of risk assessment. All roads/walkways/paths for foot traffic should be reviewed with full population in mind to evaluate for bottlenecks, crowding and blocking emergency vehicles. All large areas should have emergency vehicle access in addition to fire exits/paths clearly marked. Signage for fire exits and bathrooms should be made if not already available. Battery powered exit signs can be bought (make sure batteries are working). The signs should be big, bold/ easy to read, perhaps with a reflective paint or tape being utilized if the signs do not light up. Be mindful of anything you hang up. Fire Department standards should be complied with fully. Upon closing, security should always walk all boundaries the party were in and could have gone to, ensuring no one gets left behind. Please read the Event Safety Alliance guidebook for more specific recommendations.
7) Ventilation
All enclosed spaces need to have dedicated temperature control, especially when indoors. When outside, adequate shade needs to be provided to ensure the sun doesn't significantly affect the dance floor and crowded areas. Again, for outdoor areas during high temperatures, misters should be considered in certain "cool down" spaces.
8) Talent Management
All talent should have plans for arrival/accommodation confirmed before arrival. Headliners should have individual handlers, with talent of every level confirmed to have an internal contact that they/their management can connect with before they arrive/once they're on site. Consistency & executive assistance skills here are key.
9) Transportation
Crisis Intervention should have a plan for medical transports to-and-from various places inside the festival, including all stages & living quarters. Additionally, cab & van companies should be consulted/enlisted to ensure sober driving of festival attendees to various transport locations/parking lots. Additionally, local law enforcement should be worked with to ensure the volume of traffic associated with the end of a medium sized festival/concert doesn't disrupt traffic patterns & local roadways.
10) Maintenance/Janitorial plan
Clean up crews, MOOP (matter out of place) patrol & sustainability plans should be in place before build out of event. Plans for consistent trash removal, vomit clean up, & general janitorial duties need to be on paper with either 3rd party vendors or a dedicated team lead to manage this. Wet floors can be a hazard and spilled drinks are common. Janitorial individual or staff should be trained to make regular rounds of the event space to identify hazards related to clean-up maintenance. Note: this is a separate module than break-down or strike crew. "Leave No Trace" should be the standard met without question.
A Safety Note from a Fire Official
"Open space with no sprinkler system,
poor exits, and no security is a red flag"
Remember, these suggestions have been made with citizen safety in mind.
Poor exits and no sprinklers means the building has probably not been inspected and approved by the fire department. The fire department would like to to remind that if these red flags are observed,
"you should think twice before going inside."
