1. +
Emergency Preparedness: Risk Management for Events
AENC Event Planners Summit, January 11, 2016
Christy Marcinkowski, CMP

2. +
Goals for Today
 Learn what event risk is
 Determine who “owns” risk
 Learn 4 strategies of risk management
 Define, rate and rank some common
risks
 Learn how to mitigate risks
 Learn the consequences if risk isn’t
properly mitigated
 Hands On – Develop a Risk Management
Plan

3. +
What is Event Risk?
Risk is anything or anyone that could
impede, threaten, influence or interfere with
the successful outcome. Risk is the potential
for loss; financially, physically,
psychologically, legally or ethically. (1)

4. +
TYPES of Event Risk?
• Financial
• Legal/Regulatory
• Business
• Strategy
• Reputation
• Market
• Cyber

5. +
Who “Owns” Risk Responsibility?
 Meeting Planners?
 Management?
 Owners/Board?
 Facility?
 Compliance?
 Security?
 Attendees?
 Others?

6. +
Risk Management Strategies
 Avoid
Eliminate elements, requirements,
practices, options, adjusting as
needed concept, specs and
procedures.
 Reduce
Develop strategies to minimize
potential consequences.
 Retain
Planner makes a conscious
decision to accept it and
consequences. Monitor and re-
allocate resources.
 Transfer
Shift the responsibility to a third
party through insurance or
waivers

7. +
Risk Reduction Strategies
 Compliance Documents -
Examples:
Approved Floor Plans
Occupancy Permits
Certificates of Insurance
Indemnity Waivers
Others?
 Insurance Coverage
Examples:
Business Interruption
Event Cancellation
Weather
Others?

8. +
Assessment Questions
 Does this put someone at risk physically or psychologically?
 Where might the risk occur?
 Under what circumstances?
 What is the probability of the circumstance?
 Worst-case Scenarios?
 Who might the risk harm?
 To what degree?
FEMA

9. + Risk Assessment
 What are expectations of attendees?
 Would the occurrence harm outsiders? To what degree?
 Has due diligence been covered?
 Do attendees, vendors, staff and planner feel safe?
 Has this risk occurred when this event was held in the past?
 Has this risk occurred at past events in general?
Assessment Questions
Sources provided at the end of the presentation

10. +
Action Plan to Deal With a Risk
 Determine “ownership”
 Meet to determine possible
solutions and conduct the risk
assessment
 Decide on a course of action
and an action plan
 Develop a communications plan
 Implement
 Evaluate/Assess

11. +
Next Steps – After I Leave Here
 Conduct a risk assessment and identify gaps
 Develop risk mitigation plans for the highest level risks
 Address gaps through company standards
 Create or update your existing Meetings Management
Policy
 Implement or update your meetings management
technology

12. +
Questions

13. +
Sources/Resources
 Debi Scholar, CMM, CMP, GLP, GTP, CTE, SSGB, CTT, CBST Director,
Managed Meetings Strategies, American Express Meetings and Events
 Dr. Linda M. Robson, Assistant Professor, School of Hospitality Management,
Endicott College for PCMA Convening Leaders 2014
 FEMA’s Emergency Management Guide for Business & Industry –
www.fema/gov/business/guide/index/shtm
 US Environmental Protection Agency Risk Assessment –
http://epa/gov/riskassessment/basicinformation.htm#risk
 Barbara B. Oliver, “Swimming With Sharks and Other Perils of Special Events –
http://www.nonprofitrisk.org/library/articles/workplace-safety0502.shtml
 http://www.eventeducation.com/risk-management-events.php