Tips for Keeping Event Managers and Their Attendees Safe and Secure

We are all about continuous education at Special D Events. Samantha Flowers from our team recently attended the Society of Government Meeting Planners (SGMP) National Education Conference and returned with some useful best practices for keeping meeting planners and their attendees safe and secure.

In some cases, when an emergency occurs, event managers are “the help” until the first responders arrive.  If you find yourself in this situation, here is what you can do:

• • Immediately call 911
    • Provide detailed directions or a guide to direct responders upon arrival, a large event site can further delay response time
    • Prioritize self-care
    • Evaluate if the scene is safe, take necessary precautions if not
  • If someone is unconscious and does not have a pulse or an irregular pulse, use an AED
    • Turn the AED on
    • Follow prompts
    • Press shock button if instructed
  • Stop the bleed
    • Apply pressure with hands
    • Apply dressing and press
    • Apply tourniquet(s)
  • Know the basics of CPR
    • Compressions hard and fast on the center of the chest
    • Pace to the beat of the Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive
    • Tilt their head back and lift the chin to open the airway
  • Ensure you have an Emergency Action Plan
    • Know where an AED is located
    • Have a bleeding control kit
    • Be familiar with an EpiPen
      • Remember blue [end] to the sky; orange [end] to the thigh
    • Identify nearby level one trauma centers
    • Look up how to react to natural disasters within your geographical area
      • For example, if you are hosting an event in tornado alley, do you know how to respond to a tornado siren?

Travel safe!  Here are some useful reminders for event managers on the road:

• • Establish a power of attorney and have a HIPPA release
  • Fill out page four of your passport
    • Add in instructions for return if lost or who to call if you are unconscious
  • Always buy travel insurance (with minimums of $1M medical, $5M evacuation)
  • Prepare a clean, limited wallet and use credit cards while traveling (leaving the debit cards at home)
  • Travel with your passport (and store in your room’s safe), a passport card (to keep on you), and a copy of your passport (on a cloud-based drive)
  • Add your contact information on the inside of your phone case (hint: do not use your cell number)
  • Add your business card to the inside of your laptop
  • Always ask your Uber driver, “What’s my name?”
  • Google Translate has a camera feature that will translate text on signs
  • Place your luggage on the opposite side of the airplane aisle from your seat and upside down in order to prevent theft
  • Register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) before leaving the country

Here are a few additional notes for safety at your events:

• • Ensure motor coach luggage compartments are locked to prevent theft
  • Never leave badges unattended outside of conferences