CROWD SAFETY WORKSHOP
May 12-13, 2022 | Calgary Fire Department Headquarters | Calgary, Alberta
The world can be a dangerous place, even when people gather together to have a good time at sporting events, concerts, festivals, shows and parades. If your work involves large groups of people, you need to know how to keep those crowds safe.
In response to requests for a more in-depth look at crowd safety, we invited our expert, Eric Stuart, to present his two-day Crowd Safety Workshop - Combining Math, Physics, Psychology and Behaviours to Achieve Safe Outcomes. Our aim was to provide an understanding of the four aspects of basic crowd safety, and to provide techniques to plan and manage safe pedestrian flows in crowded places during all phases of an event including emergencies.
Objectives:
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Understand the main risks in managing crowds.
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Understand the differences between crowd management and crowd control.
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Describe the phases of crowds and their psychology.
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Conduct calculations for flow rates and density for people in crowded places.
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Identify crowd behaviors in emergency situations and how to manage them.
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Understand how to use non-computer models to plan for crowds
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To understand human behaviors that affect crowds: Route modeling, Normalcy Bias, Dread Theory, De-individuation and the RAS
COURSE LECTURER
Eric Stuart, QPM, BA Hons, UKCMA
Eric is the director of Gentian Events, a Crowd Safety Management Company established in 2009, and Chairperson of the United Kingdom Crowd Management Association (UKCMA). Engaged in Crowd Safety Management for 15 years and working with crowds since 1980, his 33 year police career in London culminated in a planning role for Notting Hill Carnival and London New Year’s Eve, with viewing audiences of 1 million and 450k respectively. As ‘Chief of Staff’ for the planning and delivery of the 70 day London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, he was the only person to see the event through from initial planning through delivery and debrief.
Eric writes and delivers crowd safety plans at events from major music festivals to motor sports and from large carnival processions to New Year’s Fireworks. He works closely with private organisers, police and local authorities to achieve mutual understanding of each other’s roles in keeping crowds safe at major events. Eric is keen to ensure there is a better balance between the mathematics, physics and human behaviours when planning for crowds.
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