SEVERE WEATHER WORKSHOP
October 26, 2023 | The National Arts Centre | Ottawa, Ontario
OVERVIEW
Event
and venue professionals thrive in an environment that requires both
careful preparation and the ability to adapt to frequently changing
circumstances. But recent history shows that severe weather can disrupt
even the best-laid plans. When it does, the results can be physically
and financially catastrophic.
Pioneered by the Event Safety Alliance (U.S.),
this workshop is designed to aid event and venue professionals of all
types in preparing for and responding to dangerous weather conditions.
Dr. Kevin Kloesel and Kevin Tanner will explore topics such as:
- Severe weather phenomena that can threaten all types of events and facilities;
- Why playing “amateur meteorologist” can be dangerous;
- Public and private-sector resources that can assist in weather preparedness;
- Technologies that can provide advanced warning of threatening weather; and
- How to develop a relevant and actionable severe weather plan.
Understanding severe weather is a science all to itself. The Severe Weather Workshop provides attendees with the knowledge necessary to identify and prepare for potential threats, and how to use existing technology and expertise in order to safely handle a severe weather event.
SPEAKER BIOS
| Dr. Kevin Kloesel Kevin is the Event Safety Meteorologist for the University of Oklahoma Department of Campus Safety and a certified Oklahoma Emergency Manager. He has worked in an event safety decision-making capacity on over 4000 outdoor events and is responsible for weather plans and decisions for every event on the OU campus. Kevin is an instructor for the Event Safety Alliance and National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security. His is also the lead meteorologist for Drum Corps International, including support for the Calgary Stampede Showband. He has made hundreds of appearances on national and local television and radio outlets from The Weather Channel to the Sooner Sports Radio Network. He has provided keynotes at dozens of conferences including SXSW Eco, the National Tornado Summit and as part of the Distinctive Voices series at the National Academies of Science. Kevin is the Director of the Oklahoma Climate Survey, an associate professor in the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences at OU and was a lead author for the US Fourth National Climate Assessment. |
| Kevin Tanner, ESAC Board Treasurer and Governance & Nominations Committee Chair Kevin Tanner is a production and venue management leader, with the bulk of his experience in the public sector and post-secondary venues. Most recently, Kevin was the Managing Director of Production at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Before that, he served in production leadership roles at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts (Queen’s University), Kingston Grand Theatre (City of Kingston), and Thousand Islands Playhouse. Passionate about promoting a strong safety culture in the arts industry, Kevin holds a certificate in Occupational Health and Safety from Ryerson University. He is a graduate of the Master of Arts program in Arts Leadership from Queen’s University and is currently studying law at the University of London (UK). In Fall of 2022, Kevin began serving another community that he cares deeply about as a board member of the Ontario Curling Association (CurlON). |
