Part of the Plan is the Office of Emergency Management’s monthly video series where we open our public safety plans and partnerships. Something we value at OEM is informing and including the public as to your roles in our plans. As we say: You are the Public in Public Safety.
This month, we take a look at our big city and its big events that draw the big crowds. Info to help you stay safe and have a good time in this month’s Part of the Plan: Special Events.
February 21, 2018
Philadelphia is home to history and historic events. From Pope Francis’ visit, the DNC, NFL Draft, Eagles’ Super Bowl parade, Welcome America, mega-concerts, and marathons, the city sees its share of crowd-pleasing and crowd-drawing events.
We look forward to you, your family, and friends enjoying yourselves and making memories.
Crowd Safety
Make a plan before coming. Figure out where you would like to go and become familiar with landmarks to choose a meet-up location if you should become separated from family or friends. Know where family reunification spots, medical or police are located. Use our alpha-numeric locator signs that are along the Benjamin Franklin parkway.
If you’re bringing kids, make sure your child or those with you stand out with a bright colors.
Take a safety selfie. When you take a pic that day that shows what you’re wearing, email it to yourself in case your phone loses total power and you need to retrieve it later.
Write down your phone number on your child’s arm and cover with liquid band-aid so it doesn’t rub off, on a bracelet or a a slip of paper in their pocket. If they have learned to count, make sure they memorized your phone number.
Have kids become familiar with how police and firefighters, and EMS are dressed so kids know who they can go to if need be.
Stay Connected
Before you come to the event, find out what social media accounts to follow, like @PhilaOEM or @PhiladelphiaGov.
Check to see if there is an app for the event or if there is a mass notification platform that will be used, like ReadyPhiladelphia, which the City of Philadelphia uses to send free text and email alerts.
For the Eagles Super Bowl parade, almost 100,000 people signed up for free alerts from ReadyPhiladelphia.
Communication
Due to the amount of live streaming and cell usage, attendees at large events find service sporadic at times.
In the event of an emergency, it’s important to keep lines as clear as possible for true emergencies.
If you find service is slow, consider using texts or a single social media post to communicate with people.
Follow Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management on Twitter. Like us on Facebook.
