Crowd Management In Places Of Assembly

January 28, 2013 No Comments

 

 

The deadliest fires have occurred in places where people assemble.  In the event of fire, occupants often panic and need trained emergency managers to take charge  and help get everyone out safely.

NFPA 1, Uniform Fire Code, requires that all assembly occupancies be staffed with at least one trained crowd manager.  If the occupant load exceeds 250, additional trained crowd manager must be on -duty at a ratio of 1 crowd manager for every 250 occupants.   For more information on the crowd management regulations that apply in your municipality, contact your local Fire Department.

If your employer has an large meeting room, you may be required to have personnel that are trained in “crowd management“.  Most larger companies have meeting rooms and cafeterias that might qualify as “places of assembly”.    Schools, restaurants, universities, colleges, hotels, and theaters will also often have large assembly rooms and/or sports venues.

My wife and I are volunteer ushers at the local 1,200 seat theater.  We have both been through crowd management training.   The training we went through was developed by the Frederick County, Maryland fire department.  Their website has:

• Information on crowd management standards
• A “Crowd Management Checklist”
• A 30-minute, on-line, crowd management training course that’s complete with a quiz and a training certificate

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