In conjunction with a  highly successful 81st Annual Conference & Trade Show, the International Association of Assembly Managers, Inc. (IAAM) has completed a published the  IAAM Mega Shelter Best Practice Guidelines for Planning, Activation and Operation.

The need to address the issues of quickly transforming a public assembly facility into an emergency mega Shelter became apparent during the Hurricane Katrina experience.  Arenas, stadiums, convention centers and performing arts theaters became temporary homes and medical facilities for extended periods of time, utilization that had never been required before.

During this process, facility managers recognized several issues, especially gaps in communication between the facilities and government agencies in charge of disaster preparedness and response.  In November 2005, IAAM responded to these gaps by forming a Shelter Management Task Force. Under the leadership of Greg Davis, Director of the CAJUNDOME in Lafayette, Louisiana, the task force developed a Best Practices guide to assist facilities and managers serve their communities when disasters occur.   

"These guidelines will support managers of arenas, stadiums and convention centers in their deliberations with emergency planners as to the planned and rational use of their facilities as mega-shelters,” said Davis. “Hurricane Katrina has demonstrated the critical role of the professional facility manager and the value of arenas, stadiums, performing arts and convention centers as emergency response infrastructure when local communities are called to respond to disasters." 

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Greg Davis, Director of the CAJUNDOME, led the IAAM Shelter Management Task Force that result in the newly published Mega Shelter Best Practice Guidelines for Planning, Activation and Operation.

Davis is optimistic that venue managers already have the skill set to prepare their facilities to provide emergency services as a mega-shelter. "Hurricane Katrina has also demonstrated that managers of major facilities have experience, training and skill sets that are transferable to mega-shelter operations,” said Davis. “Their experience and training in customer service, crowd control, safety, security and facility operations positioned them for successful transitions to mega-shelter

operations," said Davis.

Larry Perkins, CFE, president of IAAM said, "I am so proud of the work Greg Davis and IAAM continue to do for our members and our communities."

Perkins noted that the government cannot do it alone. "We must all do our part in a time of crisis.  In a humanitarian effort, our members all over the country converted their facilities into mega-shelters to assist our citizens," he said.

 The Mega-Shelter Best Practice Guidelines are now available from IAAM.