Before an event, decide who is responsible for safety, how staff will communicate, and who can pause or cancel the activity. Build the plan around the venue, accessibility needs, staffing, attendance, and the possibility of disruption. Planning in advance gives staff clear roles and helps organizers make timely decisions when conditions change.

Define the event and assess its needs

Describe the audience, location, expected attendance, activities, and arrival and departure arrangements. Walk the venue with its manager. Review accessible routes, exits, meeting points, and emergency arrangements with appropriate professionals. Consider travel and work outside the main event as part of staff safety planning.

Ask what foreseeable issues could affect the event and what would trigger a change, pause, or cancellation. Identify who has authority to make those decisions. Avoid putting confidential attendee information or detailed security arrangements in public-facing materials.

Assign roles and practice communication

Name a safety lead and backup, and distinguish their role from the person handling media or participant questions. Agree on a reliable communication method and a fallback. Brief staff and volunteers on who to contact, where to direct attendees, and when to seek emergency assistance. Do not assign untrained people to confront threatening behavior.

Plan for participant needs, including disability access and language support. Prepare short, clear announcements that can be adapted to actual conditions. Rehearse a realistic scenario so gaps in authority or communication are discovered before the event.

Use community safety and training resources

The Bridging Divides Initiative community safety and de-escalation directory can help locate training providers. Ask prospective trainers about experience with organizations and events like yours, accessibility, and the scope of the training.

Vision Change Win’s Get in Formation: A Community Safety Toolkit, available through the Commons Library, offers another planning reference. Adapt exercises and roles to your context rather than adopting every practice unchanged.

The Democracy Security Project offers a starting point for safety training and planning support. The Democracy Protection Network coordinates preventative support for eligible applicants. Confirm service fit and timing directly; an application is not a substitute for immediate emergency assistance.

Review after the event

Collect staff feedback and document incidents through a controlled process. Note what worked, where people lacked information, and what needs to change before the next event. Support staff who experienced a difficult interaction. If a threat is immediate, contact emergency services and prioritize safety. Professional advice should shape the plan where risks exceed the team’s training or capacity.

Explore the Nonprofit & Foundation Resilience guide for related resources. For strategic or crisis communications support, contact Caitlin at CBKStrategies.

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