More and more states are moving to the next phase of reopening. As venues like arenas, museums, and theatres prepare for an influx of patrons, they must consider how they will handle crowd management in an emergency situation during a pandemic.
Crowd management during an emergency situation is always challenging. However, when you add the need to social distance on top of that, it becomes even more stressful. When developing a plan for emergency scenarios, be sure to consider the location and layout of the venues as well as surrounding businesses and residential areas. If the need to evacuate arises, you will want to do your best to find an area where social distancing is possible and practical.
It is also important to consider the demographics of the patrons. The way you would handle a concert with a crowd in their 20’s and 30’s is very different than an event filled with young families or seniors. While it is impossible to predict how any crowd will respond to directives, it is probable that the latter group would need to have extra support in order to maintain social distancing in an emergency situation.
Plan ahead! You don’t want to try to manage an emergency situation in the middle of a pandemic only to find out too late that the local authorities, emergency response, etc. is understaffed or without the extra resources you may need.
COVID-19 has changed the way we look at everything and crowd management is no different. Stay tuned for the next installment of our Crowd Management and COVID-19 Series.