How to Develop an Emergency Action Plan for Meetings & Events
When planning events, there are many different aspects that must be thought of before successfully executing the event, including location, lighting, logistics, food, seating and decorations. No matter what the event, whether social or professional, you must have a plan in place in preparation of any type of emergency that may hinder your event's success, as well as put any attendees in danger. An emergency action plan is a written and enforced document that will ensure the safety of everyone involved, and must be put together with attention to every detail.
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Instructions
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Developing Your Emergency Action Plan
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According to the United States Department of Labor, the purpose of an emergency action plan, or EAP, is to allow for an employer and its employees to be on the same page during workplace emergencies. By developing a comprehensive, easy to understand plan of action, everyone involved can confidently perform their EAP duties to ensure the safety of everyone involved. First, you must gather the needed information to start your EAP. The following information is integral: how emergencies are to be reported internally and externally, all evacuation procedures and emergency escape routes, the role of any employee integral to EAP performance, a plan of action to account for all personnel/event attendees after evacuation is complete, rescue and/or medical duties for anyone needed to perform them, names and contact information of anyone who can be contacted for information that cannot be obtained during the emergency.
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Having a good emergency action plan can only be deemed successful if everyone involved is trained and confident that they can perform their duties without hesitation. After preparing all information needed in your EAP, format it in a user-friendly way, so that if the intended audience is unavailable, it can still be completely understood by the unintended reader. The easiest format is a binder, with clearly marked tabs denoting sections and a large font table of contents. Emergencies can move quickly, so you want your reader to quickly find the information they need. After binding your EAP together, make sure there are multiple copies in specifically advertised locations, such as the event podium, the food table, among others. Educate your employees on the EAP location, and its contents. Most importantly, if specific employees will have a specific role, be sure that all employees are knowledgeable on who will do what in the event of an emergency.
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Prepare for the unexpected. Your event can be flawlessly planned, but in the event of an unplanned emergency, you can lose all credibility if the emergency action plan is unsuccessful. Be as thorough as possible, and include all information that could be useful.
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Tips & Warnings
Although it sounds complicated, putting together an emergency action plan, even in its simplest form, will prepare you for the most unexpected situations.
When dealing with special event insurance, be sure to look into the requirements of your insurance of emergency action plans.
References
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