MONDAY, MAY 22 – In a devastating attack following an Ariana Grande concert on Monday, May 22, 22 people were killed and dozens more injured. According to multiple news sources, the explosion took place shortly after 10:30 PM as concert attendees were exiting the Britain’s Manchester Arena following the performance. The following facts are from CNN, Fox News, NBC News, and Aljazeera:
- Children are among the 22 dead
- At least 56 more were injured and being treated at surrounding hospitals
- An improvised explosive device was used by one man, who also died on scene
- Police arrested another 23-year-old man in connection with the attack
Concerned families and helpful citizens took to Twitter and other social media, some sharing photos of those who are missing and others offering to provide transportation and even places for stranded people to stay.
The following is a statement from IAVM’s Board of Directors Chair, Mark Mettes, CFE:
“Yesterday, we saw more tragic events that serve as heartbreaking reminders of what can happen in this world. There are still many facts in this situation that we don’t know yet, but we do know that this senseless tragedy will impact people far beyond those who attended the concert. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have been touched by this attack, especially all of the young victims and their families.
I also include our facility manager colleagues at the Manchester Arena because they will be touched by this tragedy for the rest of their lives. Although we would love to reach out and help them in some meaningful way, we must recognize through this tragedy the importance of individual and institutional preparedness. In these times, we must remind ourselves of our personal responsibilities at our venues. Please make time to review your own Emergency Evacuation Plans and any Emergency Procedures your venue has for Staff. If your venue doesn’t have these plans or procedures, I strongly encourage you to reach out to the leadership of your venue and do your part in taking the necessary steps toward preparedness. If you aren’t sure what to do and where to start, please reach out to IAVM. We can certainly help.
Also, whether you are in your own venue, visiting another or just out in public, please remember if you see something, say something. Report suspicious activities to your local law enforcement. Every one of us plays an important part in keeping our venues and our communities safe.
Obviously we hope that nothing like this tragic event would ever happen again anywhere in the world, but we can each do our part to be prepared in case an emergency situation comes closer to home.
Thank you.”
