The following checklist was compiled by Amy Zellmer, CMP, SMMC, director of strategic initiatives and data privacy officer for Meetings & Incentives, a full-service meetings management company.
Location Contacts• Local emergency numbers
• Venue emergency number (if applicable)
• Event owner contact information
• Organization security on-site contact (if on-site)
• Lead planner and on-site staff
• Hotel/venue security
Location Information• Event command center and venue command center
• Indoor relocation area and outdoor evacuation area
• Nearest 24-hour pharmacy and hospital
• Alternate airports
• Weather forecasts/updates (weather.com,noaa.gov)
• Travel health information/updates (cdc.gov/travel)
• Emergency/disaster activity (fema.gov)
• Other groups/events in town (local CVB)
• Possibility of on-call doctor, automatic external defibrillator, public-address system, CPR-certified staff and/or 24-hour security
• Venue fire plan and public-emergency checklist
Organization Guidelines• What to report, when to report it and whom to call
• Incident report form and to whom it should be submitted
• Who accompanies an attendee to the hospital/clinic if necessary, and how long they stay
• Home office support services/roles/responsibilities
• Financial expenditures/responsibilities
• Post-event support
• On-site lead, staff and security responsibilities
• Attendee management
• Control room location, equipment, staffing
• Communication among attendees, staff, home office, media and emergency personnel
• Procedure for cancellation, last-minute or while on-site
• Early departures/evacuation
Resource Contacts• Transportation: airlines, airports, car rental, bus companies, train, taxi
• Airline or air industry flight-status website for tracking possible delays or airport closings
• CDC, FEMA, DHS, WHO, TSA, U.S. Department of State, Red Cross, passport/visa contacts, human resource and legal departments
Supporting Documents• Venue floor plan
• Vicinity map
• Attendee list with mobile numbers, emergency contacts and special needs
• Arrival/departure manifest
• Fly/drive report
• Rooming list with room numbers
• Off-site activity reports
• Contingency plans for specific emergencies (bomb threat/terrorism, earthquake, hurricane, tornado, etc.)
Communication• Distribute full emergency plan with supporting documents to the meeting event owner, home office emergency/security teams, and on-site staff and security team.
• Before event, supply attendees with on-site/hotel contact info, 24-hour emergency hotline number and air travel emergency contact number.
• During event, convey to attendees the indoor relocation/outdoor evacuation areas, nearest exits in meeting rooms, evacuation route from guest rooms, nearest hospital and pharmacy, and where to report in an emergency.