Successful Meetings - July 2008 - (Page 44)

Safety & Security Risky Business How to Avoid Killing Your Attendees By Kinley Levack kinley.levack@nielsen.com never happen at an opportune time,” notes Erin Peschel, director of marketing and sales at The Conference Center at NorthPointe in Lewis Center, OH. Since attendees won’t have time to peruse wall-mounted exit strategies in the event of an emergency, Peschel recommends incorporating a morning “Safety Minute,” during which attendees get a quick update on nearby exits, violent weather, or other pertinent information. “It’s not about scaring people; it’s about being informed,” says Peschel. “If we do these safety minutes, people are much calmer [in the event they need to evacuate the building].” water on the floor, but also cases where a high heel had no rubber left on the bottom, leaving only the metal [screw or nail, which caused a fall].” He adds that it’s important to be mindful that the attendee may be embarrassed and to clear and secure the area as much as possible. If need be, statements and telephone numbers should be collected from witnesses. Risk management—it’s essential, daunting, and can keep planners from getting embroiled in litigation, and it’s largely being ignored. According to the most recent research from Successful Meetings’ sister publication MeetingNews, a mere 16 percent of 350 planners surveyed believe risk management is extremely important, and 55 percent admit they have no formal strategies regarding how to handle emergencies. But while the threat of terror attacks, pandemics, or natural disasters may be slight, planners are very likely to encounter other situations in which a risk management strategy is important—be it a drunken attendee driving a golf cart, an award recipient falling off the stage, or the need to evacuate a building because of a fire. In those cases, having a protocol in place can mean the difference between a lawsuit and an amusing anecdote. Here, SM gets some advice on how planners should handle 17 potentially risky situations. 3 IN A NUTSHELL 2 SLIP ’N’ SLIDE 1 44 EVERYBODY OUT! If a property has to be evacuated, it has to be evacuated immediately. Although planners should ensure that exits are clearly marked, evacuation plans posted, and emergency lighting and fire extinguishers at the ready, “evacuations It takes less that a second for a slip-and-fall to turn an attendee’s day upside-down. “Immediately we provide what we call ‘Care, Concern, and Empathy,’ ” says Stan Alexander, director of security at InterContinental Houston. Alexander, who is a certified lodging security director, a CPR/AED/First Aid instructor, a First Responder/Professional Rescuer, and a member of the Disaster Action Team, adds that if there is any question as to the extent of injury to the attendee, 911 should be called at once. “We also want to find out the root cause of the accident. I’ve had cases where it was “We’re seeing a lot more peanut allergies, shellfish allergies, and increasing levels of severity,” says NorthPointe’s Peschel. While guests with severe allergies are generally proactive about telling the property, Peschel recommends planners ask attendees up front and let the venue know of anything that might be a cause for concern. For guests who may not have divulged an allergy or sensitivity, label food with every ingredient—not just primary components. Peschel notes that as chefs become increasingly creative with banquet meals, they are using a wider range of ingredients, many of which are present in very small amounts, but could still trigger a reaction. Matt Bencivenga, executive chef and partner with Wolfgang Puck Catering, adds “it is important that the staff is fully briefed on ingredients and has a breakdown of JULY 2008 SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS mimegasite.com http://mimegasite.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - July 2008

Successful Meetings - July 2008
Contents
Editor's Note
Industry Trends
Suppliers
Newsmakers
On the Record
Technology
Newsmakers
Calendar
Planner Spotlight
Management Matters
Meetings Law
Websites of the Month
Mouth for Sale
Pre-Event
On Site
Tools of the Trade
Pre-Event
Initial Success
Strong Medicine
Risky Business
Places & Spaces
Birmingham
Kentucky
Georgia & the Carolinas
Hong Kong
Melbourne
Gurus

Successful Meetings - July 2008