Communications

Ensuring that lines of communication are open and working is an important responsibility of the event manager. Cascade briefing and debriefing will help to make sure that communications lines are unclogged and effective, but a few more factors should be considered.

As the size of the site increases, the number of staff and the communications problems increase. The event manager must make absolutely certain that at all times there is a way for staff to communicate quickly with him or her, or at least with the event manager’s office – which itself will be in immediate contact with the event manager.

The most remotely located staff member with the most insignificant responsibilities could be the first person to become aware of an emergency, such as a fire in the car park, or a member of the public collapsing following a heart attack. It is therefore vital to make sure that all members of staff know how and where to contact key event managers and that they know how to summon appropriate assistance without delay.