Special Event Planning - Assignment Example

Special event master plan Introduction Event planning is a unique niche that draws from different foundation disciplines and relates closely to several professional fields. During event planning, one looks at the bigger picture of all the issues that surround planned events, as well as their design, management, and production (Getz, 2012, p.244). Planned events take on amazing perspectives of diversity, and the field continues to expand and grow accordingly. Also, events have continuously become important aspects to all kinds of policy-makers and professionals in different industries the world over. There are a lot of topics that pertain to events, and more emphasis is targeted at sports teams and their venues in the tourism industry (Getz, 2012, p.5). According to John Tribe, tourism is a field of study, rather than a discipline that draws on a number of different individual disciplines. The essay is an illustration of a special event involving a 3k walk for humans, and a swimming event right after the event. Special event master plan for the 3K walk for humans in Austin Here is the planning stage for the 3K walk for humans in this region, and it is our hope that the race will be useful to all the residents. Objectives of the 3K walk for humans? There is the need to provide healthy activities in our region for all the residents. The region needs more options for activities and entertainment rather than the predefined forms. Residents can showcase their new form of engagement to the neighborhood and encourage more participation. The walks provide the youths and adults as well a new outlet to explore altogether. Our revitalization efforts can attract visitors to our region. Date: Mid June 2015 Special event permits We will seek permission from the Street Events Closure Permit to hold the 3K walk run for humans at least 180 days before the event as required by the Ordinance Chapter 14-8. Also, we will require the Sound Amplification Permit or Outdoor Music Venue Permit since we aim at playing music at the central and starting point of the race. Lastly, we will also be required to seek for the Private Security licenses for the entity performing private security personnel expected to safeguard the event. Course Start from Columbus Park and run through the city streets. The major landmark cities to be followed will be decided upon effectively by the management team. The proposed route for the 3K walks will be differentiated according to the different groups of participants. The route will be decided upon after through consultation with the city council to determine the best paths for the 3K walks. Participants will be notified as early as possible on the routes decided upon through fliers, mails and even traditional mails delivered to their homes. Upon receipt, we will host a training and familiarization workshop to provide appropriate guidelines on the exact path to be followed. Participants will be required to familiarize with the route several days before the event. Access to the full path will be denied two days prior to the event to safeguard the course and ensure the participants are safe on the actual day of the event. All the necessary measures pertaining to safety of the course will be put in place as required. Specific rules and regulations to be followed during the event will also be published in the route manual. The course is USATF certified and valid for use in the special event for the 3K walk. There will be a lead vehicle, with either the driver or a passenger that is familiar with the course to be followed exactly. The lead vehicle is expected to remain within the general vicinity of the leading participants in the walk. One official will also follow the last walker closely and communicate the progress with the race staff accordingly. Apart from the lead vehicle, the course will be marked clearly by direction signs and surface paint to guide the walkers in completing the race successfully. Each mile point will be clearly marked to act as a guiding principal for the participants. Either a digital clock or a person calling out the split times in a clear and accurate manner will be located at 1 and 2 miles for the 3K walk, to allow the runner to maintain an effective pace throughout the race. The course will also be closed to all the traffic, and if not possible, we will demarcate a specifically marked lane for our participants. Parking will be prohibited on the streets that are designated as the race course. Marshals will be present at each intersection and will continuously change depending on the direction of the course. We will supply an adequate number of marshals to ensure the runners follow the specified course accurately and safely. We will not use police officers as course marshals. But, police and other adult volunteers will be located at any busy intersections to control and direct traffic. Volunteer committee The volunteer committee will be in charge of creating memorable events and bringing the organizing team together. Through this committee, it will be easier celebrating the successes of the members and thanking the members for all the activities they do. Through the committee, we will also manage to sell out the 3K walk for humans special event effectively well in the neighborhood before the exact date. The committee will meet weekly to facilitate the event planning activities. Volunteers and the tentative committee members will take on specific tasks such as preparing the advertising material, marking the walk track course, and educating the public about the operation procedures required during the walk. The 3K walk for humans will require a large amount of volunteer participation since we will require a huge team of observation team at different points along the set track. The volunteers will help in enhancing fairness among the participants. A lot of preparation procedures will be required during the preparation stage since walk events are often daunting and are time-consuming as well. Where possible, we will outsource a special events committee that will facilitate the creation of a relevant network and social environment that will attract hundreds of participants in the 3K walk for humans. During the event, we will require two types of volunteers; classifiers and officials. Classifiers will work as part of the walking team to assess the ability of the participants and assign them to the relevant sporting classes and ensure they are participating on a level playing field. Classifiers should have a wide range of expertise, such as medical knowledge and technical expertise. Thus, they could be doctors, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, coaches, sports scientists, physical educators, and retired athletes. The classifiers will offer training to the participants through workshops for a set number of practical hours. The specific training and the certification requirements offered by the classifiers should coincide with the International Sports Federation, and the implementation should correspond with the National Sports Organizations. Officials will be experts in enhancing the rules of the 3K walk and will supervise the event to ensure the competition is handled fairly. They will offer training to the participants through holding certification workshops before the competition. Registration logistics The following procedures outline the principles of the 3K walk application and all the registration procedures required. Through this event, we are encouraging the participants to “go green” by eliminating paper applications and making more use of online registration procedures. We will also provide an online printable application for those participants who wish to explore that option. However, the elimination of paper applications will not do away with the obligation of providing the participants with a complete set of information useful before the walk. The online registration website will provide the following information about the walk: The date of the race. The set starting time(s). The total distance to be covered. The exact location of the start backed up with the appropriate street address. The course certification status. The access to driving directions. The description of the course. Information on where to park and the charges involved. A reliable contact person, email, and phone when in need of clarification. The specific advance registration instructions and fees charged. Age groups for participation and awards. An online platform for monitoring the participation. Clear statements on whether bicycles, wheeled vehicles, in-line skates, and dogs are allowed during the event. The registration forms will include the following details: The participants full name, city, address, state, phone, zip, date of birth, age, email address, and gender. A specific check – off for the walkers. Any discount information we offer the participants. Space for the membership number. A liability waiver for the runners about 18 years and over as well as signature of the parent for participants under 18 years. Members participating in the walk should be capable of taking any discounts we offer, including any latest mail-in and online cutoff dates. Discounts will not be given for all the race day registrations. Early registrations will help in the preparation process and guide us in providing enough facilities for all the participants. Our recommended discounts for participating members will be $3.00 for an entry fee of $27 or less, $4 for $28-$32, $5 for $33-$42, and $6 for an entry fee of $43 and over. Aid stations for the participants The aid stations will be positioned at the start and finishing points of the race. Also, they will be positioned at least a 2 miles split to deal with emergency situations that occur during the event. We will also consider increasing the number and frequency of the aid stations depending on how experienced the participants will be. Enough pre-poured fluids will be provided at every station and at the finishing line to allow all the participants to have fluids whenever they need them. The organizing committee will be tasked with researching the historical weather data of the region on the proposed date of the race in order to anticipate any fluid needs. It is our anticipation that an enrollment of more than 3,000 participants will constitute more of less experienced racers. We shall set up relevant communication systems including cell phones and radios to facilitate the communication between the race director and the selected aid station personnel. The aid stations will be equipped with a reliable on-course system to facilitate communication with the runners in the event of an emergency, adverse weather conditions, and unexpected race stoppage. Possibly, we will use the suggested system of 4 flags: the green sign symbolizing proceed, yellow signifying (slow down and proceed with caution), red signifying (slow down, consider stopping and follow the official instructions) and lastly black sign meaning (stop, event cancelled and consider following the official instructions). Medical requirements We will confirm the enrollment of the 3K walk for liability insurance. Before the race, the event committee will arrange for the availability of ambulance services to handle any emergencies likely to occur. More importantly, we will work towards having an on-site ambulance during the walk. We will also install a system that will facilitate communication between the race personnel on the course and the race staff. The systems will have the capability to summon emergency medical assistance to any point along the race course. We will also provide a visible location at the finishing line with a qualified provider and supplies to deal with minor medical needs such as adhesive bandages and ice. Race safety precautions The committee will develop and implement a safety plan that will integrate with the communication system at all the stages of the race. The officials and committee members will know when to call and who to call in the event of emergencies. We will instruct all the course volunteers on what action to take in the event of an emergency. We will strictly not allow the use of strollers and joggers for babies due to safety concerns of the children. Also, we might consider cancelling or postponing the walk event in the event of lightning/ thunder or other conditions that are deemed too dangerous by the race personnel. In such cases, the race can only proceed once the dangerous conditions have been fully eliminated. Toilet facilities for the race The management committee shall prepare at least one functional toilet for every 30 runners. The toilet will be located at the race site and will include all the indoor facilities. Proper directions will also be provided by the volunteers on how to access the toilets and where to seek assistance when necessary. Gear check The management team will secure a clearly designated area for the provision of the racers’ gear whenever appropriate. While designating the gear, consider number of participants that are not travelling by car, as well as the distance to parking. Registration and packet pickup on race day All the runners will receive the 3K walk instructions, aid station, and medical information necessary during the race. Course maps will be availed in the packets, online or at the race. Separate lines or tables will also be provided for the pre-registered racers and all the race day entrants. We will recruit a sufficient number of volunteers to handle all the pre-registered participants, packet pick-up, and race day registrants in a timely manner on the day of the walk. There will be no separate tables or line for team registration since there will be no team competition during the walk. Lastly, race day registration will be expected to close at least thirty minutes before the start of the race. Start of the 3K Walk The starting line of the 3K walk will be clearly marked with paint, tape and chalk on the ground. A false start line will be designated right behind the real start line except if the management team decides to time the races electronically. We will utilize the sound system to ensure all the runners hear the pre-race instructions as well as the starting horn or gun. Warm-ups for the participants, speeches by the dignitaries, entertainers, physicians, and sponsors among other influential people will be conducted before and after the runners gather at the starting line. The method of starting the race will be explained to avoid the occurrence of false starts. Thus, a countdown will not be used within the last 30 seconds to the start of the race. A reminder announcement will be made to inform the participants on the use of sign/flag runner warning system. Also, reminders on the prohibition of strollers, baby joggers, in-line skates, bicycles, scooters, roller skates, and other wheeled vehicles will be made. The walkers will begin the races at different times depending on gender and age. The order of the races will start by men, followed by women, and children will have a later start. A system will be developed and implemented to ensure the faster walkers are positioned towards the front of all the other participants at the start of the race. All the other participants will be positioned in accordance with their expected finishing time, with the slowest walkers at the back. The start and finishing areas will be kept clear of any non-participants using the private security hired for the walk event. The race will start exactly at the set time even if some participants will still be waiting to either register or pick up their packets. Finishing procedures The finishing line of the 3K walk for humans will be marked with paint, chalk, and tape on the ground. A digital clock will be availed at the finishing line to display the finishing times of each participant. The management committee will provide adequate means to ensure accurate timing of each participant who crosses the finishing line. The race results will be situated at a distance right from the end of the chutes to prevent the possibility of backup in the chutes. There will be manual backup of the automated and computerized results for purposes of verifying the timing system. Results/ awards The final clock time of each participant will be used to determine the overall winners of the 3K walk race. The state and national records will be clock-timed as required by the USATF rules. The top male and female finishers in the adult and children category will be recognized and awarded accordingly. The awards to be given to the participants will be determined by the volunteer committee and availed on the day of the event. Post-walk and pre-swim meet After the walk, participants will be expected to compete in a swim meet. All the participants will be provided with essential requirements such as swimsuits, swimming caps, towels, goggles, sleeping blankets, sweatshirts, gym bags, dry clothes, and a pen. The committee will book the swimming venue in advance and ensure all the necessary permissions are in place. The venue will be chosen based on availability and suitability, the travel distance for the volunteers and the participants, seating capacity for the participants and spectators, parking availability, health safety, and overall costs including VAT. Provide the participants with the conditions of the competition as well as the action plan. Before the competition, the volunteer personnel will be required to be present and verify the available risk assessment such as medical, lifeguards, emergency provision, and first aid kits. After the event After the event, we will thank all the participants and the volunteers involved in the delivery of the event. We will take adequate time to evaluate the event progress with the officials and volunteers and make the necessary recommendations for future events. Also, the management team will evaluate the event through seeking the experience of the participants and discover any loopholes needed to deal with during future events (Getz, 2012, p.241). All the equipment will be cleared away at the venues of the event as agreed with the management team. The event evaluation results will be evaluated and debrief a report provided to the organizers. We will thank the volunteers, and other helpers using thank you notes, website notices, and incentives. Feedback will then be provided to the venue management team, and communication of the event results done appropriately. We will evaluate the report and the take time to promote success stories during future events. Works Cited Getz, D. (2012). Event Studies: Theory, Research and Policy for Planned Events. New York: Routledge. Read More