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CANCELLATION MANAGEMENT: Facing the Ultimate Crisis PRESENTED BY Sean Ryan, Race Director Cellcom Green Bay Marathon ASSISTED BY John Mory, Course Director Toni Jaeckels, Registration Direction. THE NIGHTMARE IS ALWAYS THE SAME…. May 20, 2012 at 7:00 am. PROJECT Management.
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CANCELLATION MANAGEMENT: Facing the UltimateCrisis PRESENTED BY Sean Ryan, Race Director Cellcom Green Bay Marathon ASSISTED BY John Mory, Course Director Toni Jaeckels, Registration Direction
May 20, 2012 at 7:00 am PROJECT Management
May 20, 2012 at 9:25 am CRISIS Management
May 20, 2012 after Noon PUBLIC RELATIONS Management
A CHANGING INDUSTRY Marathon RunningGoes Mainstream
U.S. MARATHON & HALF MARATHON FINISHERS SOURCE: Running USA’s Annual Marathon Report (2012)
U.S. MARATHON & HALF MARATHON FINISHERS SOURCE: Running USA’s Annual Marathon Report (2012)
A SLOWING AUDIENCE… AVERAGE MARATHON FINISH TIMES (HRS:MINS) SOURCE: Running USA’s Annual Marathon Report (2012)
THE DOWNSIDE What do you call an audience that is …rapidly growing …less experienced …less physically resilient …more pampered …entertainment-focused …bucket list-motivated A House of Cards?
CELLCOM GREEN BAY MARATHONOVERVIEW • Founded in 2000 • Non-profit controlled by 15-member board • Led by 4-person staff, 50-person Operations Committee
CELLCOM GREEN BAY MARATHONORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE PARTICIPANTS (10,000+) VOLUNTEERS (2,000+) OPERATIONS COMMITTEE (50-60) MARATHON STAFF (4)
CELLCOM GREEN BAY MARATHONOVERVIEW • Founded in 2000 • Non-profit controlled by 15-member board • Led by 4-person staff, 50-person Operations Committee • Takes place mid-May each year • Five different races over two days • Has tripled in size in past 10 years
CELLCOM GREEN BAY MARATHONOVERVIEW • Founded in 2000 • Non-profit controlled by 15-member board • Led by 4-person staff, 50-person Operations Committee • Takes place mid-May each year • Five different races over two days • Has tripled in size in past 10 years • $1 million budget; proceeds go to charity partners.
CELLCOM GREEN BAY MARATHONCONTINGENCY PLANNING • Joint effort of staff and Public Safety Committee
CELLCOM GREEN BAY MARATHONPUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE COURSE DIRECTOR CHAIR RACE DIRECTOR POLICE/SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENTS TRAFFIC ENGINEERS / PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT REPS FIRE & EMS DEPARTMENTS MEDICAL COORDINATOR & DIRECTOR
CELLCOM GREEN BAY MARATHONCONTINGENCY PLANNING • Typically addresses weather-related contingencies: • Lightning and storms • Heat and humidity
CELLCOM GREEN BAY MARATHONCONTINGENCY PLANNING • No industry standards exist.
CELLCOM GREEN BAY MARATHONCONTINGENCY PLANNING • Communication—upward and downward—isa major focus of the planning.
IF HEAT IS FORECASTED: CELLCOM GREEN BAY MARATHONCONTINGENCY PLANNING • More… • Fluids and cups • Ice • Immersion tanks • Wheelchairs • Runner advisories
IF HEAT IS FORECASTED: CELLCOM GREEN BAY MARATHONCONTINGENCY PLANNING • More… • Fluids and cups • Ice • Immersion tanks • Wheelchairs • Runner advisories • Public appeal for sprinklers
RACE MORNING PROTOCOL: CELLCOM GREEN BAY MARATHONCONTINGENCY PLANNING • Meeting at 6:00 am (one hour prior to start) • Key personnel • Medical Director has final say on “Go or No Go” • Decision based on Wet Bulb Globe Temp
“The best laid plansof mice and menoften go awry.” - Robert Burns
WHAT WE COULD CONTROL • Opportunities for fluids • Quantity of fluids • Additional supplies – ice, sprinklers • Number of medical stations on the course
WHAT WE COULD NOT CONTROL • Weather • Conditioning and pace of the participants • Hydration of the participants • Medical preparedness
CRISIS TIMELINE 6:00 am Race Director meets with Medical Team (60˚F) 7:00 am Race starts (70˚F) 8:12 am First report of ‘runner down’ (80˚F) Next 45 minutes Ten runners go down on the course 9:06 am EMS Director declares ‘3 alarm fire’ statusAmbulances called in from 7 municipalities 9:25 am Medical Director shuts down course 9:35 am Timing of races ceases (85˚F)
MEDICAL STATS FINISH LINE MEDICAL TENT 120 Runners treated 80 Heat illness 5 Transported via ambulance to hospitals COURSE 47 Runners treated 18 Transported via ambulance
LESSON #1: Protocols often are not as simple as they may seem. FROM THE OPERATIONS MANUAL “The Cellcom Green Bay Marathonwill be cancelled if theWet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT)exceeds 20.5 degrees Celcius.”
WORDS NOT INMOST RUNNERS’ VOCABULARY Surrender Back down Give in STOP WORDS INMOST RUNNERS’ VOCABULARY Drive Grit Determination Persevere
LESSON #4: If they lack a script, your front line will make stuff up.
LESSON #5: Your audience may form conflicting constituencies.