Katrina Experience Leads to Post-disaster Facility How-to List
Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 10/2/2006
Motivated by the experience of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Intl. Assn. of Assembly Managers has released a how-to manual on what to do when venues are pressed into service as temporary homes and medical facilities for lengthy periods after hurricanes or other disasters.
The new Mega-Shelter Best Practice Guidelines for Planning, Activation and Operation is a 214-page handbook to assist operators of arenas, stadiums, convention centers and theaters.
Because the Katrina experience caused facility managers to become aware of communication problems between facilities and government agencies in charge of preparedness and response, IAAM formed a Shelter Management Task Force in November, headed by Greg Davis, director of the Cajundome in Lafayette, La. The Cajundome was one of the facilities damaged by Katrina and later used as a relief center.
Harold Hansen, coordinator of IAAM's Academy for Venue Safety & Security, said creation of the guidelines was driven by the desire to save lives and "treat people housed in facilities in the event of disasters as humans, not cattle."
Hansen said different types of facilities lend themselves better to different disaster needs. Convention centers, for instance, offer lots of flat floor space — fine for cots — but don't have most of the other services necessary to house people for long periods. Arenas and stadiums, on the other hand, offer lockers, showers and more restrooms than convention centers, but less flat floor space.
"You have to be prepared to utilize each type of facility to its best advantage to help people in case of disaster," Hansen said.
Davis said the guidelines should help facility managers and emergency planners coordinate the use of facilities as mega-shelters before disasters occur. He said Hurricane Katrina demonstrated the critical role of the professional facility manager and the value of facilities as emergency response infrastructure when local communities are called to respond to disasters.
He added that Hurricane Katrina also showed that managers of major facilities, with their experience and training in customer service, crowd control, safety and security, are positioned for successful transitions to mega-shelter operations.
