Write an event management plan

Section 7 - Emergency evacuation procedures

In this section, outline your procedures for dealing with: 

  • a fire
  • bomb threat/ terrorist incident
  • site evacuation
  • lighting or power failure (relevant if the event is held during the hours of darkness)
  • communicating with the audience
  • contacting emergency services

 Also outline who will form the incident emergency management team. This is usually: 

  • Event manager
  • Site manager and deputy event manager
  • Security team leader
  • Stewarding team leader

Explain how your event staff, contractors, volunteers and the emergency services will be briefed on the emergency procedures.

Most event emergency plans should address the same basic requirements:

  • Raising the alarm and informing the public
  • Getting people away from immediate danger
  • Having an onsite emergency response, i.e. use of fire extinguishers
  • Summoning the emergency services and continuing to liaise with them, where the      situation is serious, hand over responsibility for the incident/emergency.
  • Providing access to emergency services vehicles
  • Handling casualties - providing first aid and medical assistance
  • Crowd management, including an evacuation
  • Maintaining an incident control centre

For evacuation consider the following: 

  • Plan escape routes and make sure they remain available and unobstructed
  • Make sure all doors and gates leading to fire exits, as well as site exits themselves, are available for immediate use at all times.
  • Consider signs for people unfamiliar with escape routes
  • If necessary light all escape routes
  • Plan to provide additional assistance to people with a disability, people with learning difficulties and those with limited mobility and children
  • Plan for how you will communicate official event messages to the public in conjunction with the emergency services, e.g. via social media