©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.
Event Crisis
Management
for Pandemic
COVID-19
March 25, 2020 • Brenda Rivers, JD, HMCC,CIS • President, SAFE LLC
©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.

©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.
WHAT LESSONS ARE WE LEARNING?
LESSON 1
How to create a pandemic crisis
plan in the middle of a crisis
• No off the shelf plan
• Trial and error
• Compressed time
• Uncertainty

©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.
WHAT LESSONS ARE WE LEARNING?
LESSON 2
Take this opportunity to develop a
risk management strategy
• Use Covid-19 as a case
study
• Apply 4 duty of care
standards
• Create muscle memory
playbook with 6 critical
elements

©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.
STAY CALM.
CARRY ON.
Job Loss Panic Fear
CrisisUncertainty
Overwhelmed
Vulnerability
Compressed
Time
Disruption
Financial Loss
Liability
CURRENT STATE
*
* “Keep calm and carry on” Winston Churchill
©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.

©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.
• Identify the lessons we
are learning and turn
them into opportunities
• Understand the
principles of event risk
management strategy
• Review critical elements
of a crisis response plan
Agenda
How do we
Stay Calm and
Carry On?

©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.
Current State of Preparedness
Vulnerability Assessment
Identify the Resources
Develop the Crisis Response Plan
Integrate the Crisis Communication Plan
Recover & Evaluate
1. Duty to Research
2. Duty to Inform
4. Duty to Plan3. Duty to Recommend
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The SAFE Approach™
4 Duty of Care Standards coupled with
6 Risk Management Strategy Elements

©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.
Creating a Crisis Response Plan=
MANAGING THROUGH
UNCERTAINTY
©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.

©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.
PEOPLE: RIGHT PEOPLE IN
THE RIGHT PLACE
CRITICAL ACTIONS FOR THE
CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN1.
Leadership, events team,
financial, communications,
legal, human resources,
travel
Identify a decision tree
Role of event professional:
trusted advisor
• Research, inform,
recommend, plan, record
Crisis communications team:
Know what to do and how to
contact

©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.
DEVELOP CONTINGENCY
PLANS FOR PANDEMIC
CRITICAL ACTIONS FOR THE
CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN2.
OPTION 1: Cancel entire event
OPTION 2: Hold event at reduced attendance
OPTION 3: Rebook event at a different time and/or location
Options and Compelling Factors for Decision

©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.
CREATE A COMPARATIVE
ANALYSIS OF
COMPELLING FACTORS
CRITICAL ACTIONS FOR THE
CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN3.
1. PEOPLE – Safety and well-being are first priority
2. BUSINESS PURPOSE – Second priority – ROI & ROE
3. CONTRACTUAL – Force majeure, cancellation,
rebooking, attrition: hotel and vendors
4. FINANCIAL – Analyze impact for each option

©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.
DO COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
OF COMPELLING FACTORS
CRITICAL ACTIONS FOR THE
CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN3.
5. LEGAL – Renegotiate, force majeure to allow COVID-19
6. BRAND IMPACT – Reputation damage
7. INSURANCE – Mitigation opportunities, claims process
8. KEY DECISION MAKER – Identify tipping point and call to action

©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.
Conclusion:
How do we Stay Calm and Carry On?
• Family and self first
– Self-care & education
• Trusted advisor to client and organization
– Research, inform, recommend, plan
• Crisis response plan for pandemic
• Create your risk management playbook
©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.

©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.
“We’re an amazingly resilient industry, that we come
together as a strong society and as a community to
support each other… The business event industry
will help drive that economic recovery, because
when we meet, we change the world.”
Paul Van Derveter
©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.

©2020 SAFE LLC. This presentation and the elements contained herein were created especially for Meetings Today and are confidential and proprietary to SAFE LLC. Contents may not be shared with any third party without the express written consent of SAFE LLC.
Q&A
Contact Brenda Rivers:
BRivers@SAFELLC.com
Visit our website
SAFELLC.com
Ask questions by commenting on our
Stay Healthy and Wise blog:
safellc.com/covid-19-discussion