meetings | communications | international vmsconnect.com

Meetings | Communications | International vmsconnect.com

From Chaos to Calm: Preparing for the Unexpected

On-site

Angie Duncan, CMP,CMM

Vice President, VMS

Why are you Here?

On-site Horror Stories – Anyone?


On-Site Crisis Management Plans

• Why an On-site Crisis Management Plan?

• Developing Your Plan– Pre-Planning Task List

• Preparing for Medical Emergencies Checklist -http://www.mcmag.com/article_ektid6630.aspx

– Planning Checklist

– Final On-Site Crisis Management Plan

Meetings | Communications | International

On-Site Crisis Management Plans

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http://www.mcmag.com/article_ektid6630.aspx

1. Contact List– Team Members– Key personnel– Medical Numbers– Embassy

2. Organizational Chart– Key Leader– Communications– Logistics– Customer Contact– Medical– News/Monitor– Security


Components of On-site Crisis Plan

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3. Communication Tree– Contact list– All possible contact info– Who’s calling who?– Where does this information live?

• Internally/Externally

2. Responsibilities List

– Same as Organizational Chart or less• Key Leader• Communications• Logistics• Attendee Contact• Medical• News/Monitor• Security


Components of On-Site Crisis Plan

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• Responsibilities List Pre-Planning– Make handout for each position

– Review with team before heading onsite

– Whoever has final decision – ensure that they know it

– Depends on what type of organization you are planning for – Association, Big Corporation


Components of On-Site Crisis Plan

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1. First – Breathe

3. Establish Ownership of the Situation

5. Gather Information– Who do you need to talk to get more information?

– Who are the stakeholders in this situation?


How to Turn Chaos into Calm

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1. Lean on Past History– Has this happened before?– What did you/they do?– Who can you call to gain insight?

5. Call in Re-Enforcements– Who do you need, What do you need to get you through?

6. Use Your Resources– Hotel/Venue, Vendors


How to Turn Chaos into Calm

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1. Medical Emergencies

2. Natural Disasters /Terrorism/Civil Unrest

3. Strikes

4. Not Enough Meeting Staff

5. Materials Don’t Arrive

6. Vendors Don’t Pull Through

7. Upset VIP /Upset Customers

8. Power Failure

9. Family Emergencies

10. Flight Delays/Weather


Top 10 On-Site Challenges – Crisis

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On-site Crisis Management

Case Studies


You have 150 international guests in a downtown hotel. The group just finished a productive morning session and is seated at a networking lunch when suddenly the power throughout the hotel goes out.

The next session is scheduled to resume in 25 minutes.

What do you do?


Scenario – Power Failure

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• Make announcement to the group to stay calm

• Determine if there is a need to evacuate

• Designate a time to reconvene

• Locate flashlights from the on-site supply kit/distribute and create lighting teams

• Set out tea candles on the restaurant tables

• Get water for the bathrooms so people can wash their hands if power failure persists

• Determine key venue personnel and determine contact plan

• Announcements every 15 minutes


Resolution – Power Failure

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You have a group of 200 top sales performers on an incentive trip in the Bahamas. A tropical storm that had previously stalled out is reorganizing and is headed back in your direction. The storm is forecasted to be a Category 2 with the eye of the storm to the north and the outer bands are likely to impact your group.

What do you do next?


Scenario – Hurricane

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• Enact Crisis Management Plan• Enact emergency telephone tree and communicate with corporate

headquarters• Determine severity of situation with venue personnel and start

communication plan with key contacts• Determine if there is a need to evacuate (may be local storm

shelters available)• Evaluate structure of facility and organization of hotel emergency

personnel• Decide if charter air craft is an option• Address group as a whole and designate a time to reconvene• Open phone lines so attendees can call home internationally• Work with airlines to reconnect participants for outbound flight• 24 hour mode for Information desk/meeting office• Have CNN/Weather going on TV/laptops• Daily meetings with venue, key personnel


Resolution– Hurricane

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You have 175 people in 10 afternoon breakout sessions when your CSM come to you to indicate that there was an accident on property and it appears that a guest has attempted suicide by jumping from the roof.

You think most of your people came back from lunch and in their breakout sessions but cannot be sure.

What do you do next?


Scenario – Death on Property

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• Determine communication strategy with hotel key personnel

• Bring key meeting contacts up to speed and explain plan

• Interrupt breakout sessions and conduct role call using attendee list

• Contact cell phones/guest rooms for any missing participants

• Use Emergency contact information as needed to locatemissing participants

• Determine how this event affects your meeting and meeting requirements.

• Do you tell the attendees what is happening?


Resolution – Death on Property

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During the lunch buffet service the hotel replaced a finished pan of chicken parmesan with another pan. As attendees started to take the chicken from the buffet it was obvious that this dish never went into the oven.

The hotel was quick to pull the entrée and make the adjustment but later there were several reports of food-Bourne illness.

What do you do?


Scenario – Medical Emergency/Food Bourne Illness

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• Determine severity of situation with hotel and participants

• Determine need to enact the crisis management plan

• Work with hotel – may have medical assistance

• Call ambulance or transfer participants by taxi to hospital accompanied by meeting staff

• Determine key hotel and staff contacts for participants

• Always keep emergency contact information readily available

• Report back hourly to meeting staff and attendeesmanagement team


Resolution – Medical Emergency

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You’re in a foreign country at a major industry association meeting. You have 80 corporate attendees and a multitude of customers and your meeting staff. There has been a major terrorist attack in the United States and all air traffic has been ceased.

What do you do?


Scenario – Terrorist Attack

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• Enact Crisis Management Plan and Crisis Organizational Chart• Enact emergency telephone tree and communicate with corporate

headquarters• Determine severity of situation with venue personnel and start

communication plan with key contacts• Monitor media/television for news updates• Determine crisis management centers – one off limits and one for

general attendees• Determine priority of attendees in outbound situation• Work with corporate air department - Decide if charter air craft is an

option• Address group as a whole and designate a time to daily/twice a day

reconvene –post updates on a board• Open phone lines so attendees can call home internationally• Work with hotel to determine hotel block needs and catering needs• Ensure meeting staff are relieved and alert


Scenario – Terrorist Attack

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• Rule #1 - Nothing goes as planned!

• Client Interaction

• 1st Impression for Attendees

• Vendor Relationships/Partnerships

• Crisis Management Plan

• Last Rule - Have Fun!


Things to Remember On-Site

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From Chaos to Calm: Expecting the Unexpected

On-site

Angie Duncan, CMP,CMMVice President, VMS

[email protected]


meetings | communications | international vmsconnect.com

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