The Crisis Plan of Ewood Park Stadium - Case Study Example

Crisis Management: Ewood Park Stadium Course Name and Code Institution Name Faculty Name Student’s Name Student’s Number Instructor’s Name 2 February 2009 Table of Contents 1.0 Stadium Analysis………………………….……………………………….3 1.1 Structural Design……………………………………………………3 1.2 Usage of the Stadium……………………………………………….3 2.0 Legislative Control Analysis………………………………………………3 3.0 The Crisis Plan…………………………………………………………….4 3.1 Capability of Contingency Plan…………………………………….4 3.2 Responsibilities during Incident……………………………………5 3.3 Media Coverage and Public Perception……………………………6 3.4 Communication…………………………………………………….6 3.5 Liaison with Other Agencies……………………………………….7 3.6 Agencies in the Plan………………………………………………..7 3.7 Crowd Control……………………………………………………...8 3.8 Evacuation of Spectators, Players, Staff and Guests……………….9 3.9 Accommodation and Consideration of Injured Persons……………9 3.10 Decontamination Strategy………………………………………..10 3.11 Workers Training/ Recovery and Reconstruction………………..10 4.0 Conclusion………………………………………………………………..10 5.0 Recommendations………………………………………………………...11 6.0 Bibliography………………………………………………………………12 1.0 Stadium Analysis 1.1 Structural Design The stadium is located in the Edwood Park, Nuttal Street, Blackburn. The stadium consists of two levels and one level stand and it accommodates approximately 31,154 viewers (Contingency Plan). Three of the stands are two level stands: Darwen End, Jack Walker and Blackburn End stands, while the single stand is the CIS stand. Additionally, there are entertainment facilities such as the Blues Café bar that is located in the Blackburn End stand. A retail shop is located in the stadium compound and it is detached from the stands. Moreover, the three two level stands contains some commercial activities. 1.2 Usage of the Stadium The stadium is purposely used for football activities since its inception; however, athletics activities can take place. The stadium is able to accommodate player and athletes during day and nighttimes. It is able to accommodate the routine matches e.g. Premier League and at a times special events such as the 2005 Women Soccer (Information on Blackburn Rovers 2009). 2.0 Legislative Control Analysis Statutory regulations play an important role in ensuring that the stadium adheres to safety and health measures to reduce chances of accidents. Some of the legislatives controls that are in place are: General Safety Certificate Safety at Sports Grounds Act 1975 Safety at Sports Grounds and Club Safety Policy Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (Green Guide) The most important legislative is the Green Guide, which stipulates measures in a playing ground (Fire Service Inspectorate 2002). Some important provisions that are in the Green Guide include crash barriers design, stability of the structure, gangways and fire escapes. Thus, this provision is the legislation (Green Guide) that ensures the spectators and players can be controlled, the structure of the stadium is stable and access of all people who are in the stadium e.g. people with disability. On the other hand, the 1975 Act gives the management of the stadium a framework that they will base their safety concerns and a guideline for developing policies of the stadium (Health and Safety Executive 2009). 3.0 The Crisis Plan The crisis plan plays an important role because it brings all associated parties and safety measures into one thing. It ensures that any crisis that may occur is pre-planned in terms of its control. This will ensure that when a threat occurs, it can be easily solved. 3.1 Capability of Contingency Plan The contingency plan can tackle an array of emergency incidents. Thus, it is capable to control and manage emergencies of all types e.g. minor to major hazards. An example of minor incident is late kick off to major incidents such as chemical or bomb threats. The plan has well laid down plans that assist in accomplishing any emergency problem, if it is detected or suspected. Luggage that is left unattended is inspected in certain way to ensure that its contents are not a threat to the public and consideration is given to people who inspects the luggage. Many equipments and measures are in place that detects and reports emergency cases to the concerned bodies. For example, structural stability in terms of overloading is controlled through balancing the spectators who access a given stand. This means that the contingency plan has factored ways to control fire incidents and BCBN through the utilization of fire sprinklers and fire alarms. Escalation is a problem that can occur easily if the accident is not given the due consideration. Officers and stewards play an important role in analyzing the development of the incident and communicating with relevant authorities. This is through the strategically placement of the stewards and officers to monitor the spectators and players. Moreover, CCTV and radio plays an important role in communicating the development and measures that can be used to manage the emergency. 3.2 Responsibilities during Incident All persons who have responsibility in the stadium are supposed to assist at a time of emergency. The management of emergency measures in the stadium is under the charge of a Nominated Safety Officer (Safety Officer). However, the Safety Officer can collaborate with Police Commander under the agreement that is depicted in the Statement of Intent. The Statement of Intent defines the role the Police will play at a time of emergency. Each member should fulfil a specific duty when an emergency occurs. The hierarchal organization of staff determines responsibilities that are bestowed at a time of emergency. Safety Officer controls all operations and is assisted by Deputy Safety Officer in ensuring that the right people are at a given place at a specific time. The responsibility of the Chief Steward keeps track of stewards and assists during the time of evacuation. Assistant Chief Steward assists guests (VIP), directors and tunnel staff in terms of evacuation, receives casualties and is responsible to communicate with next of kin of injured persons. Logistics Officer is responsible in evacuating people ensures that they pass through the appropriate routes and are assisted by Perimeter Track Supervisor. Additionally, they evacuate the people through the fields and drops advertising posts that are around the field. The special needs spectators are assisted by the Assessors while the Section Heads assist in the evacuation and at a time liaise with the Control Room. The Section Heads ensure that people related to the players are safe and secure cloakrooms and other executive areas. 3.3 Media Coverage and Public Perception In experience, media plays an important role in informing the public on the development of any issue (Moore & Lakha 2008). When an emergency occurs in the stadium media will ensure that they maximize the chance to broadcast live pictures. Thus, the aim of the stadium management is to ensure that information that is broadcasted reflects current affairs in the stadium. The media houses may broadcast false information concerning the development of the incident, which the management of the stadium should correct. It is comparative that the management team of the stadium to pick an official spokesperson to cancel this falsehood and to update the public in depicting the state of affairs in the stadium. 3.4 Communication Public are prone to information that an emergency as occurred. Thus, it is important for the management to ensure that information is exchanged in a discreet manner. The contingency plan has placed into consideration various ways that information can be exchanged by the relevant persons. This can be achieved through use of emergency telephone, internal telephone extension and radio transmission. However, when the problem goes out of hand, the Public Address System can be used support by fire alarms in case of fire incident, which ensures that doors automatically opens and evacuation of people begins. However, the fire system is usually switched off during the time of play to reduce chances of panic (Communities and Local Government 2009). In the case that the Public Address System fails, loudhailers that are located in the Security Office and Gate Office are used to address the spectators and players. The radio system has five channels that ensure that people who are involved and the general operation of the stadium is addressed. For example, there are channels for safety and emergency, the core areas of the contingency plan. Moreover, CCTV plays an important role in ensuring that what that take places is recorded. 3.5 Liaison with Other Agencies Communication and media plays an important role during a time of emergency. Radio calls and 999 calls ensure that the appropriate people are called to assist and fulfil other missions reducing the effect of the emergency. Communication ensures that the stadium management can easily communicate with all bodies that are affected by the incident. However, liaising strategy is not complete because communicating to the next of kin is not fully structure. Even though the Section Heads should liaise with the next of kin, there is no well-structured way that they can fulfil this mission. 3.6 Agencies in the Plan When an emergency occurs and it is required that other agencies are required to assist, the agencies will be called. The stadium works hand in hand with the Local Authority and usually corporate at a time of emergency. The fire service agency will be called while the Ambulance Officer will be contacted. Stakeholders’ agencies play important role during emergencies and there support is crucial when it comes to the Ewood stadium. For example, the local authority provides extra parametric ambulances while the fire and rescue service provides fire fighting engines and equipments. Moreover, voluntary organizations especially dealing with safety and health matters play an important role. Red Cross and St. John’s offers first aid services to the injured people. The media house and local authority plays crucial roles in either informing the public on the developments or providing the required assistances respectively. 3.7 Crowd Control The decision to evacuate persons from the stadium is determined by the management of the Club. It does this through the assistance of the Safety Officer or the Police Command. Evacuation will be determined by severity, nature and location of the incident. The method that will be employed will be determined by the dynamic risk assessment in relation to emergency requirements. The contingency plan offers various options that evacuation can be commissioned. One option is through the electro-magnetic controlled gates. Stewards who determine the way that the gates will be used under the guidelines of evacuation officers also monitor the gates. The spectators and unauthorized persons are not supposed to enter the pitch and there are measures in place that ensures this. However, when there are intruders into the pitch, stretcher-bearers individuals purse the culprits. Nevertheless, the referee stops the match when there is mass pitch invasion and the tunnel doors are closed. The amount of available resources will determine the extent that mass invasion can be controlled. 3.8 Evacuation of Spectators, Players, Staff and Guests During an emergency incident in the stadium and requires the evacuation of the people, there are two main types of evacuation that can be commenced: total and partial evacuation. Total evacuation is when all the people that are in the stadium area removed through the nearest exit roots. Partial evacuation is evacuating the affected areas e.g. a stand or a sitting position. However, this method requires public addressing to understand the cause and reason for the evacuation to prevent public panic (Haddow & Bullock 2007). There is a time when the exit routes are not enough and evacuation may be through the pitch. Evacuation through the pitch requires the removal of advertising posts and other obstructing materials to enable the public to be evacuated. However, preference is given to people with disability during evacuation. Disable people are given the chance to go through the nearest exit routes to safety. The different emergency routes provide ways in which rescue services equipments can pass through. There are specific gates that are used by fire engines while other gates are specially designed for people to go through. 3.9 Accommodation and Consideration of Injured Persons At any time, that there are many people in a given area there should be a doctor or a medical attendant. The contingency plan as factored this into consideration and there is usually a spectator doctor. The doctor addresses people who have medical complications while another doctor ensures that the players are taken care of. The doctor can use one of the three first aid rooms that are located in each of the two level stands. Moreover, stewards, St. Johns and Red Cross agencies assist the doctor, at the same time Lancashire County provides paramedic ambulances that assists during emergencies (Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service 2009). The 999 call is usually used when medical emergency gets out of hand. However, there is no clear or defined way that the contingency plan addresses deceased persons. Nevertheless, there is a chance that the paramedic ambulances may contain means to address the deceased persons. 3.10 Decontamination Strategy When an emergency occurs, safety and health standard of people who are within the area may be affected. Gases and other dangerous materials may be realized to the environment. The plan has no defined way to control chemical smell if it may occur. However, there are measures in place to manage the effect of gas. 3.11 Workers Training/ Recovery and Reconstruction The plan has no provision for training the staff and other people who are involved in the incident. Moreover, the issue of recovery and reconstruction is not addressed in the contingency plan. It is assumed that the people who are working have experiences in duties that they are allocated (Gustin 2007). 4.0 Conclusion Emergency usually occur at least expected time. Thus, the core objective of a contingency plan is to ensure that there is a well laid down plan to address emergency. Ewood Park Stadium has a sitting capacity of 31,154 spectators’ accommodate in three two level and one single stand. The stadium follows the guidelines that are in the statutory and legislative directives. The contingency plan is able to address all level of emergency with staff having specific responsibilities. Agencies play important role in ensuring that the required assistance is provided at the time that is required. Evacuation is important in reduce the effect of the emergency and the plan has two defined ways that they can fulfil this mission: partial and complete evacuation or both of them are coalesced. Medical assistance is crucial and usually there are doctors who assist the players and spectators. Moreover, St. John, Red Cross and paramedic agencies ensure they accord the required assistance. Collaboration with diverse agencies ensures that the emergency is brought into hand. However, there is no defined way that the workers are trained or restoration and reconstruction of the emergency area. 5.0 Recommendations The contingency plan plays an important role in ensuring that the safety of the stadium and the people is put into consideration. However, there are areas that are not fully addressed. Training of the workers is something of paramount importance to the emergency level of the people. The plan should incorporate ways that the staff is involved and refreshed concerning developments in emergency measures. Moreover, there should be a defined way that the next of kin of the injured persons should be addressed. The plan gives only the person who should address the next of kin, but does not give steps to fulfil this mission. Decontamination, recovery and reconstruction have not been fully addressed. The plan should address complications that may a rise such other chemical causes. Recovery and reconstruction should be placed forefront in ensuring that the people, environment and stadium is restored to its previous state. 6.0 Bibliography Communities and Local Government, Available at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/fire/ [Accessed 1 February 2009] Contingency Plan, Blackburn Rovers Football and Athletic Plc, Ewood Park Blackburn Gustin, J. F., 2007, Disaster and Recovery Planning: A guide for Facility Managers, 4th Ed. Georgia, Fairmost Press Inc. Haddow, G. & Bullock, J., 2007, Introduction to Emergency Management, 3rd Ed., London, Butterworth Heinemann. Heath, R., 1998, Crisis Management for Managers and Executives, Financial Times/Prentice Hall. Health and Safety Executive, Available at : http://www.hse.gov.uk/ [Accessed 1 February 2009] Information on Blackburn Rovers, available at: http://www.rovers.premiumtv.co.uk [Accessed 2 February 2009] Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, Available at: http://www.lancsfirerescue.org.uk/lfrs/home/default.php [Accessed 31 January 2009] Moore, T. and Lakha, R., 2008, Tolly’s Handbook of Disaster and Emergency Management: Principles and Practice, 3rd ed. London, Heinemann Butterworth. Fire Service Inspectorate, 2002, Fire Service Operations: Incident Command (Fire Service Manual 2.), London, Stationery Office Books. Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2003, Our Fire and rescue service, Cm 5808, London, stationery Office Books. Read More