PAMANTASAN NG LUNGSOD NG MAYNILA

PLM Business School

Department of Hospitality Management ITM 3109-1 INTRODUCTION TO MEETINGS, INCENTIVES, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS MANAGEMENT (LECTURE)

Module 6: CONTINGENCY PLANNING

MODULE OBJECTIVES This chapter will help students:

1. Understand and prepare for safety and security concerns.

2. Analyze potential problems that could possibly affect the event.
3. Set preventive measures to avoid problems from occurring.
4. Prepare contingency plans to quickly respond to problems in case they occur.
5. Create a crisis management team to handle crisis situations.

INTRODUCTION Event management includes preparing for the best that could happen, as well as the worst. Any plan
stands the risk of uncertainty, and event plans are not exempt. No amount of preparation can provide
100% assurance that things will go on as planned. The best way is to identify what could go wrong,
eliminate, or minimize the chance of them occurring, and be prepared in case the problems persist.

Prepare to address safety and security risks. Safety and security are two of the primary considerations
of event attendees, particularly in the light of present-day uncertainties. This chapter will guide the
event manager on how to identify risks and potential problems at the event; how these potential
problems and threats may be avoided; and how to minimize their effects should the problems occur in
spite of efforts to prevent them. Always cool under pressure, the event manager should, nonetheless,
be in control of crisis situations. It is important to have precautionary and contingency measures in
place at any event and anticipate budget inclusions for them.
I. SAFETY AND SECURITY Though often misconstrued as synonymous, these two Safety Priorities terms are different. Safety
refers to protection of people from harm. Security refers to protection of property from damage or
loss. Nonetheless, both are genuine concerns that an event manager must seriously plan for, fund, and
cautiously address. In any event, the organizers must always learn, prepare and take to heart their
responsibility to protect: (1) people; (2) property; (3) reputation; and (4) revenues—in that order of
priority (Silvers, 2004).

Create a safety and security (S&S) team to help assess risks and potential problems anticipated for the
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event. This team must have the authority to develop an emergency management plan. The team
evaluates the likelihood of risks, safety and security breach, and operational problems; prepares
measures to eliminate them; and plans how the adverse effects may be minimized in case the problems
still occur, including leading people to safety. Among the areas or elements of the event that must be
evaluated for safety, security, and other risks are:

 Design of the venue and event site

 Stage and other structures
 Special effects
 Electrical connections
 Crowd control
 Transportation
 Sanitation facilities and waste management

Safety: Protection of People

Protection of people at the event is always top priority. Those who will need protection are the
attendees and workers at the event. Aim to maintain a safe and healthy event environment.

For every event, prepare: a plan to prevent safety violations and accidents from happening
(prevention); a plan which will minimize the effect of these problems in case they still do happen
despite preparations made to prevent them (contingency); and a crisis management plan, in case the
situation escalates to a full-blown crisis situation.

The old adage says, "An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure." This is very true for events,
for there are many people involved numbering probably even up to tens of thousands in one place at
the same time. A prerequisite to planning preventive and contingent action is to understand the
audience profile. Know who would be in the audience and plan on how they are to be protected.

Venue and event site design

Have the safety and security (S&S) team survey the venue and event site before the event to determine
the potential hazards. If necessary, corrections have to be put to order before the event. The event
manager walks through the event site before the event begins, periodically during the event, and after
the event. Visualize how each of the event activities will proceed, determine potential hazards for each
activity, plan how to prevent them, and, similarly, prepare a contingency plan in case the worst
happens.
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Again, the aim to is maintain a safe and healthy environment for the attendees and the event workers.
Go over the entryway, reception area, seating areas, stage set-up, the "front of the house," the "back of
the house, "restrooms," and other places where attendees and workers will be. Examine these areas
carefully and ask yourself these questions to identify and correct potential hazards.

Brainstorm and identify how the risks can be eliminated. Seek the help of the venue management for
necessary corrections. There might be aspects that are provided for in the venue lease contract, or they
could probably be to the account of the lessor, thus eliminating unnecessary incremental expenses for
the organizer. Consider lead time necessary to effect certain corrections.

Discuss safety precautions with venue management. Be aware of the venue's fire safety and evacuation
plan. Secure a copy of the plan and have members of the S&S team learn it. Aside from the S&S team,
identify event staff who will help implement the evacuation plan. Make sure all are properly trained to
guide attendees to safety. Discuss measures to take in case of a bomb threat or a terrorist attack.

Check if there is a medical clinic or first-aid station within the venue. Determine its capability to handle
possible emergencies. Assess its distance from the event site, and the possibility of having a satellite
station nearer the site.

Provide the S&S team a list of important telephone numbers of the emergency service agencies nearest
the event venue:

 Ambulance service
 Hospital/medical facility
 Fire department
 Police
 Bomb squad
 Search and rescue team
 Security personnel

Remember that the team will need a different list for every city and municipality.

The first 30 minutes of an emergency situation are the most dangerous; immediately, the appropriate
emergency response agency should be contacted, so that it could arrive at the scene without delay.
Stage and Other Structures

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Inspect the stage and other structures that are built or installed for the event. Check for defects that
may cause harm to performers and workers. Check for stability of the stage and scenery, considering
the equipment, people, and movement on the stage. Similarly, check the backdrop and other structures
installed for the event. Visualize how such structures will be used, and always note possible breach of
safety.

Special Effects

If special effects and pyrotechnics will be used for the event, work only with licensed and experienced
providers. Check venue and comply with local government restrictions on pyrotechnics. Invite the
supplier to check the event site for feasibility of using the effects before finally deciding to contract
his/her services. Review the parts in the program wherein such effects will be used and ask the supplier
to provide product specifications that are appropriate for your need. Require the supplier to have
safety measures and equipment ready. Have a knowledgeable event staff, venue representative, and an
able representative of the supplier double-check installations before the event starts.

Electrical Connections

Meet with the venue management regarding the event's electrical power requirements. Together with
the event's electrical engineer, determine the power requirements to stage the event according to the
event plan, and evaluate available power supply. There may be a need for additional power generators
to power up all equipment to be used for the event. Also check for the possibility of power outages at
the time of the event.

Use only well-insulated cables and wires, discard cables with exposed wiring. Cables and electrical
connections must be neatly laid out and appropriately covered or taped down. People can trip over
exposed cables that cross aisles and walkways.

Crowd Control

The main purpose of events is to gather people, but even that can pose problems. When people are
grouped together, the crowd takes a personality of its own. Event planners must keep this in mind and
prepare for crowd control.

During the planning stage, the event team must already visualize how the crowd is likely to behave at
every activity during the event—from entrance to exit. Avoid activities that can cause uncontrollable

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and unsafe crowd movement. The following table presents unsafe crowd movements and recommends
preventive measures.

Unsafe Crowd Movements Recommended Preventive Measures

 Crowd crush – caused by the  Open event doors early, so that the
compression of a crowd from a big space crowd does not get impatient waiting,
to a smaller area. and so that the attendees can enter in
trickles instead of in one burst.
 Plan for the staggered transfer of
attendees from one area to another by
varying activity schedules.
 Plan for orderly exit from one area when
transferring to another area. For
example, have the audience move out by
rows.
 Crowd craze – crowd pressure caused by  Plan activities to avoid having the crowd
overexcitement, a competitive rush or rush towards a person or object.
push of a crowd towards a person or  If the likelihood of a sudden rush in
object. inevitable (as in the case of having
popular celebrity guests), have sturdy
crowd control barriers and enough
security personnel to control the crowd.
 Crowd surge – a compression of a crowd  Plan event activities and control the
toward a particular direction. event sequence in such a way that the
crowd will not have cause to move
suddenly toward one direction.
 Be aware of the venue capacity
appropriate for the layout planned and
activities to be conducted. Limit the
audience size only up to the capacity
level.
 Crowd collapse – when people in front of  Plan for orderly crowd movement at
the crowd rush forward causing some of entrances. Have orderly and well-
them to trip and fall, thus those coming managed queues.
from the rear stumble over those who  Avoid giving the crowd a reason to

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 have fallen and fall on top of them. suddenly rush forward, such as
competition for seats or for a prize.
 Crowd panic – out-of-control movement  Vividly mark all exist; make sure these
to escape a real or perceived danger, remain visible even in the event of a
often trampling over those who have power outage.
fallen in the way.  Train the members of the event team on
how to handle emergency situations and
evacuation.
 Organize to have ready triggers that will
put emergency contingency measures
into action immediately after the
emergency situation happens.

A vigilant and prepared event team is critical in preventing crowd movement from blowing up to crisis
proportions. Enforce crowd management practices from the time the audience arrive, as they come in,
at the start of event activities, through all the activities during the event, and as the audience leave.
Members of the S&S team must always keep watch of the actions and mood of the audience. Event
security can call the attention of, if not move out, people who instigate inappropriate behavior.
Reassuring announcements can calm down an impatient audience, but better than this is to deliver on
the event promises, and not to disappoint the audience, or make them impatient or angry. Proper
execution of the event plan would help prevent problems with crowds:

1. Start on time; the audience dislikes being kept waiting.

2. Announce unavoidable changes to the program; for example, when a guest performer is unable
to attend.
3. Do not unnecessarily change rules mid-stream; for example, follow seat assignments; observe
raffle or contest rules as initially announced.
4. Exercise fairness and always deliver on your promises.
5. Treat the audience with courtesy and respect, because after all, the event is for them to enjoy.

Transportation

If transport of participants is part of the event arrangements, take precautionary measures. Work only
with reputable transport companies that maintain vehicles in good running condition. The condition of
the vehicles also bears on the image of the client company, the sponsors, and the event organizer. Plan
to have enough vehicles on-hand to accommodate all participants and their luggage. Never overcrowd

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or overload transport vehicles. Plan time of arrival and departure and stick to schedules. Know how
long the travel will take as it might be necessary to have activities on-board so participants will not get
bored, or even just to have a ready answer to inquiries.

Plan the travel route in advance and avoid routes that may be unsafe and dangerous. An advance party
may study the route before the event. When traveling by land to ecological sites or small towns,
anticipate the size of the vehicles that will be passing through secondary or tertiary routes, Buses might
find it difficult to manage through narrow streets.

When traveling by air or sea, check the safety features of the vehicles. Study the reputation of the
selected carrier. Have a contingency plan in case a change in travel plans is necessary in view of bad
weather conditions.

For all travel, carefully, evaluate the need for travel insurance for the participants. It is always best to be
covered for all uncertainties.

Sanitation Facilities and Waste Management

Among the top concerns of event attendees is their health and safety while at the event. Clean
surroundings keep people safe not only from accidents but also from illness.

Congestion in a crowd invites the easy spread of disease. This emphasizes the need to have good crowd
control and human traffic plan. Always be aware of government warnings and follow prescribed
precautions against communicable diseases.

Cleanliness is key in keeping the event site a healthy environment. Have the event site clean and ready
before the audience arrives. Restrooms become very busy areas during events. Check the restrooms;
make sure that running water, soap and tissue paper are available. Discuss restroom cleaning schedules
with the venue administration (if this is their responsibility) or hire capable crew to clean and maintain
cleanliness in the restrooms. If the number of restrooms is insufficient, consider installing near the
event site portable toilets which must be cleaned and maintained at all times, and whose waste must
be properly disposed of.

Anticipate what kind of waste will be accumulated at the event. Visualize what will happen during set-
up, while activities are going on, and at the end of the event; then, plan how to collect and dispose of
all the waste. Provide ample containers for waste collection. In public areas, these may be "dressed up"
to blend with the décor. If you anticipate a huge volume, schedule several collection periods during the
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day, without disrupting event proceedings. Coordinate waste disposal with the venue administration.

Security: Protection of Property

If "safety" refers to protection of people from harm, "security" refers to protection Of property from
damage or loss. Walk through the event from set-up to strike down and identify potential security risks,
including possible fire, theft, and violence. Create a security plan, identifying potential risks, preventive
measures, and contingent action to be taken. The plan will vary from event to event, depending on the
event format, venue, attendees, and the event objectives. Go through the venue and the event
activities and identify and prepare for unique hazards or risks that are peculiar to the event.

Aside from protecting physical property, there is also a concern for protecting intellectual property. For
events that have a potential to be commercially viable if video-taped, include prohibition of cameras
and video recording devices at the event. Inspection of audiences' bags upon entry must be part of the
security routine. Roving security personnel must also be on the look-out for unscrupulous people who
record the event. A similar concern for corporate events is information leakage, particularly when
competition is very keen. Admission to such events must be limited only to authorized and identified
people. Care should also be taken that hand-outs and similar materials are not left lying around, as
these might land in the wrong hands: instruct members of the event team to pick these materials for
safekeeping.

One key to event security is being able to identify personnel who are part of the event team, the crew
and the audience. Issue appropriate identification cards and/or passes to everyone involved in the
event. These may be color-coded to show venue access limitations; for example, stage and technical
crew are limited to the back of-the-house areas only, ushers are limited to front-of-the-house areas
only, while the organizing committee and S&S team members are given "all access" cards.

Prepare security plans and policies including how to: (1) observe the crowd; (2) conduct searches; (3)
raise emergency alarms; (4) report incidents; (5) request assistance from team members; (6) evacuate
in case of fire, earthquake or some other incidents; (7) deactivate utilities and equipment; and (8)
inform members of the S&S team regarding eventualities. Make sure there are security personnel in all
entrances and exits, loading and unloading docks, storage areas, parking areas, lobbies, registration
areas, cash collection points, meeting and meal rooms.

Assess all security needs and specify what security services and equipment are necessary. These might
run up a significant amount of the event budget, but since the aim is to protect life and property, then it
could be well worth the cost.
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II. PROBLEM ANALYSIS AND CONTINGENCY Other than safety and security, also plan for other event elements. Go over the plan, visualize what will
PLANNING happen on the day of the event and identify: (1) potential problems; (2) preventive action; and (3)
contingent action.

To spot problems, conduct brainstorming sessions with the event team, key stakeholders, and
suppliers. In some instances, it might be necessary to get information from subject matter experts (for
example, regarding government regulations and permits). Concerns related to forecasting audience
attendance may be answered by looking into records or past events targeting the same audience. The
use of management tools like simulations and gap analysis help one visualize what could possibly go
wrong at the event. Create a lot of "what. if..." scenarios to be better prepared.

2.1. Identifying Potential Problems

What could possibly go wrong at the event? Even if you think you've covered all aspects in your plan, go
over it once again. Think what could possibly happen that will make your plans go awry. Deviation in
plans may be caused by: lack of planning; unforeseen circumstances, which point back to lack of
planning (that is why the circumstances are unforeseen); and uncontrollable circumstances, which can
also be attributed to lack of planning. Indeed, there are uncontrollable elements, particularly in the
external environment, affecting event plans and their outcome. Nonetheless, this does not exempt the
event manager from anticipating what the effects would be and preparing for preventive and
contingent action.

Review the event plan and identify potential problems and their likely causes. Understanding what the
likely cause is helps identify how the problem can best be prevented. DO not stop at just identifying the
problem; dig deeper and analyze the root of the problem; kill the root and the problem disappears.

This is far from a complete listing. There are other factors to consider such as:

 Government regulations and legal issues

 Labor issues
 Weather
 Competition

2.2. Preventive Action

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 The event manager’s objective is to prevent problems from arising. It seems like a tall order, but it is an
imperative. Again, “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.”

From the problems that have been identified, address the likely causes at the earliest stages, way
before the day of the event. Two key questions to be answered are:

 What actions can be taken to address each likely cause?

 What actions can be taken to reduce the probability of occurrence of a potential problem?

2.3. Contingency Plan

In spite of all the precautions, sometimes the inevitable happens and things still go wrong at the event.
But because the “show must go on,” it is best to be prepared and put into action a plan that will
minimize the effect of the problem. Not only devise what will be done if the problem occurs, but also
identify what occurrence will set the contingency plan into action. Quick thinking is important in times
of stress but programmed thinking with action is much preferred.

III. Crisis Management Plan While event managers always try their best for an event to be successful, there are times when the
worst happens, and crisis strikes. An event crisis is a problem that has gone out of hand causing damage
of serious magnitude. Damage or the negative effect of the crisis may be to persons, property, or
reputation. Clearly, the objective is to save lives, prevent injury, and avoid damage to property.

Apart from having preventive and contingent plans to protect the audience, staff, crew and all property,
also draft a plan that will be put into action should a crisis happen at the event. First, create a crisis
response team. This will include key event staff, security and venue representatives. Assign
responsibilities to each team member:

 Information gathering – responsible for gathering information relevant to the crisis situation
including causes, extent of the damage, casualties, agencies or persons involved, and other
data. Such data are shared with the rest of the team.
 Liaison – responsible for keeping communication and coordination between the event
principals, the victims, and other parties that have a stake in the crisis.
 Logistics – sources materials, equipment, manpower, and other resources needed to alleviate
the situation.
 Spokesperson – the one and only person designated to speak on behalf of the event principals.
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 Develop a plan for extreme situations like fire, earthquake, bomb attack, panic, and illness outbreak
during an event. Modify it for every handled, adapting the plan to the situation and peculiarities of the
event. Communicate and orient key staff regarding the plan, how to put it into action, and the role that
each one will play should crisis strike.

Sufficient training for event staff is necessary. Have trained and certified first aiders on the team. Also
go through training for fire prevention and safety, as well as the use of fire extinguishers. Training on
safety procedures for earthquakes, bomb attacks, and panic attacks will better prepare the event team
in handling adverse situations. Being at the event scene, the event team is logically the first line of
defense and should know how to react accordingly. Prompt action can save lives, prevent injury,
minimize property damage, and consequently avoid damaged reputations.
REFERENCES 1. Eloisa Altez-Romero. EVENTS MANAGEMENT (OBE ALIGNED). Rex Book Store, 2019.

2. Zenaida Lansangan-Cruz. INTRO. TO MEETINGS, INCENTIVES, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

MANAGEMENT, Rex Book Store. 2020.

3. Germaine Angelica Salvador. EVENT MANAGEMENT – ENVISION. EXECUTE. EVALUATE. C and E

Publishing, Inc. 2019.

4. Philippine M.I.C.E. Academy, PROFESSIONAL EVENT MANAGEMENT: A GUIDE TO MEETINGS,

INCENTIVES, CONVENTIONS, EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS, C & E Publishing, Inc., 2019.

5. C. A. Preston, Leonard H. Hoyle, EVENT MARKETING: HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY PROMOTE EVENTS,

FESTIVALS, CONVENTIONS, AND EXPOSITIONS, John Wiley & Sons, 2012

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