By Tom Cornwall, CVE

As I write this we have seen 68 days dawn in the BUBBLE created for the Edmonton hub for the NHL Hub City Tournament.

Four nights ago the NHL crowned the Dallas Stars as the Western Conference Champions and last night we crowned the Tampa Bay Lightning as the Eastern Conference Champs.

Tonight is the eve of Game 1 of the final round to crown the 2020 Stanley Cup Champion.

The Western and Eastern Champions will battle in a best of 7 series to claim Lord Stanley’s Cup.

Some say this is the hardest Championship to win in all of professional sports and it has been said recently that perhaps this year’s Championship will be the hardest to win of all times since it’s been done all in a bubble under the constant threat of COVID 19.

About 60 days ago we welcomed twelve teams to each of the Edmonton and Toronto hubs to become what has lovingly been called Bubble Hockey.

Through the dedication of a few hundred NHL management/staff, third party contractors and the hockey teams we have managed to survive the ups and downs of living 24/7 in the bubble.

Daily nose or throat swabs, wearing masks 24/7, sanitizing/washing hands constantly, hotel/arena food and Skip the Dishes, Pickle Ball tournaments, golf simulators, only FaceTime/Zoom or cell phone contact with family and friends, has become the way of life accepted by all in this Bubble world we created. Hockey without spectators took some adjusting to but the NHL has done a great job to create the “home arena” atmosphere as best possible with their graphics and audio/video production.

Two weeks ago the remaining two teams in Toronto joined the remaining two teams in Edmonton for the right to crown the Eastern and Western Conference Champions and do battle for the right to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup and the honor of becoming the 2020 Stanley Cup Champions. Within a few days the champion will be crowned and the teams and 90 percent of the staff will depart the next morning to reacquaint themselves with life outside the bubble. For a few of us, bubble life will continue for a couple extra days as we dismantle the production, pack away the sanitization equipment/supplies, dismantle fences, write the reports and “Pop the Bubble” that has been our home for nearly 80 days.

Twenty four became four and then there were two.

SOON THERE WILL BE ONE BUBBLE HOCKEY SURVIVOR!

Tom Cornwall, CVE, is Hub City Compliance Officer and with Oak View Group/Prevent Advisors.

By R.V. Baugus

While I often wheeze along on fumes trying to get some extra kick or as we like to call it here in the south, “some pep in my step,” I am often amazed at my IAVM colleague Mark Herrera and the rather — shall we say — ambitious schedule that he logs. I mean, all this never-ending travel that our Director of Education and Life Safety does while still managing to steadfastly hit the gym.

I am apparently not the only one to hold Mark in such high esteem as we are very proud to share that Northstar Meetings Group recently placed Mark in select company in its “Top 25 Influencers of the Meetings Industry.” As the tagline prior to the listing of the select 25 says, “Meet the people leading us through a difficult year.”

If ever there was an understatement …

Northstar Meetings Group is an online platform for business and sports event organizers, planners and incentive program professionals across all sectors – corporate, association, third-party organizations/agencies, SMERF (social, military, education, religious and fraternal meetings) — providing critical news analysis and research, practical strategies, creative solutions and sourcing services.

This year’s Top 25 Influencers of the Meetings Industry, selected by M&C editors based on extensive reporting this year, all took swift action to develop solutions and plot a course for recovery, according to the company website. They’re leading by example, resolving problems in their day jobs while remaining tirelessly focused on the bigger picture: the betterment of the meetings industry and an easier path forward for the people who make this business truly great, it was noted.

We also happen to think the description about Mark and his work is spot on for someone who tirelessly gives back to the industry. Have a read below and I’m sure you will agree. And to read the full story and find out the full list of 25 — many of whom are very familiar to our industry — click here.

Mark Herrera is pretty cool in a crisis. It’s a trait he cultivated in his 20-plus years with the Hobbs, N.M., police department. During his tenure, he was a detective for the Gang and Narcotics unit, and a sergeant for the S.W.A.T. team, among other roles. That experience is especially helpful now.

“I’m passionate about giving people the tools they need to protect themselves and others in the midst of crisis,” Herrera says. “That can be safety-and-security-related or, now, how to respond to a pandemic.”

As a trained first responder, Herrera and his team held a series of town halls focused on each of the major venue types IAVM serves — convention centers, stadiums, arenas, universities, amphitheaters and fairgrounds. He expanded IAVM’s remote-learning resources with courses such as “Business Continuity Management” and “Business Impact Analysis,” and launched an Alternate Facility Working Group to help members convert their venues into emergency hospitals or homeless shelters. Meanwhile, he reimagined all of IAVM’s scheduled in-person gatherings as digital events, including the upcoming Venue Connect Annual Conference, taking place Oct. 26-30.

Herrera’s job isn’t so different today than it was at the Hobbs P.D., he says. His core mission remains “helping people get their lives back in order.”

By Ellen O’Brien

Workplace distancing. Crowd density. Occupancy, vacancy, capacity. Welcome to the new language of reopening campuses and venues around the globe.

Whether it’s pro sports venues, college stadiums, campus libraries, or office buildings, dedicated reopen task forces are hard at work understanding new requirements to count people, manage physical distanging, and help students, fans and employees return safely.

At the same time, CIOs say this is a very noisy time — they are hearing lots of pitches from lots of vendors who want to help them reopen safely. Evaluating AI-powered reopen software can be daunting, even though there are some obvious starting points. It should have proven partnerships in your vertical. It should scale easily, and ideally be vendor agnostic, working with any IT provider you currently have on premises.

But what else should you know about this category of crowd intelligence software? We’ve highlighted 6 key attributes here:

1. Ask before investing in sensors. Ask whether the solution requires sensors to be installed over doorways or other locations. Depending on your electrical supply options, and the procedures for replacing batteries, some sensors could potentially become a hassle. Inquire whether the solution can leverage existing video systems you already have in place.

2. Remote Deploy. Considering how hard it is to schedule meetings and visitors these days, this might seem like an obvious starting point. If you believe your SaaS provider can get you up and running remotely, it may take some of the initial strain off the project.

3. Privacy. Most organizations do not want to be in the surveillance business. When looking for software that helps you count people and predict how and when they will use spaces – think library during finals week or holiday shopping at the mall – look for a solution that provides you visual representations of people in your space. Ask your SaaS provider if the data they wrangle and you see is anonymous.

4. A display you love. Everyone will tell you their software has the most intuitive interface. That’s because the user experience is important — but not because it makes you feel happier and smarter when you see it (though that’s nice) but because every other person in your organization should feel empowered by it. Non-technical types should find it easy to use and understand. So yes, there’s a lot of GUI hype — but for good reason.

5. Alerting. Make sure you have the ability to surface anomalies in ways that make sense to your team in the command center, or the ones using mobile devices. These threshold alerts can help facility and security teams respond to incidents faster, avoid bottlenecks or overcrowding, and adjust staffing when necessary.

6. Compliance. When evaluating reopen software, ask providers whether you will be able to review data for compliance purposes. So much time and effort will be dedicated to phased reopening; make sure you are able to review and show data that makes clear how people use the space you manage, and how your reopen plan is working.

If you are looking for reopen software to understand crowd behavior on your campus or venue, contact Jaclyn Smith, Vice President, Sales, at jaclyn.smith@armoredthings.com to learn more.

Ellen O’Brien is Director of Content & Marketing at Armored Things and based in Boston.

By ISSA and R.V. Baugus

The Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, has awarded GBAC STAR™ accreditation to 57 new facilities this week, many of which again are public assembly venues led by IAVM members.

“Each week, we see more organizations achieve GBAC STAR accreditation and others commit to completing this process because they are dedicated to protecting their patrons and employees,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “While it’s unclear when the COVID-19 pandemic will end, we are certain that accredited facilities have the highest regards for health and safety in this new normal along with a commitment to continuous improvement going forward.”

GBAC STAR is an important indicator of a facility’s ability to prepare, respond, and recover from infectious disease and biohazard threats. The accreditation is renewed annually to encourage organizations to document their progress and continually strive for improvement.

The following public assembly venues facilities are now GBAC STAR accredited:

Convention Centers

America’s Center in St. Louis
ASM Global – Antiguo Casino de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Md.
Buffalo Niagara Convention Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
Calgary TELUS Convention Center in Calgary, Alberta
Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C.
Edmonton Convention Center in Edmonton, Alberta
Edmonton EXPO Centre in Edmonton, Alberta
Gatlinburg Convention Center in Gatlinburg, Tenn.
Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison, Wisc.
Oakland Convention Center in Oakland, Calif.
Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia
Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan
Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex in Raleigh, N.C.
Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Fla.
Visalia Convention Center in Visalia, Calif.

Arenas/Stadiums/Performance Venues

BC Place, home to the MLS’s Vancouver Whitecaps and the CFL’s BC Lions, in Vancouver, B.C.
Blumenthal Performing Arts in Charlotte, N.C.
CenturyLink Field in Seattle
Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia
Mizner Park Amphitheater in Boca Raton, Fla.
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio

“The GBAC STAR program is the gold standard of prepared facilities and will help the public gauge an organization’s commitment to the elevated standard of cleanliness that is now essential,” said ISSA Executive Director John Barrett.

To apply for GBAC STAR facility accreditation, click here.

To view the list of accredited facilities, committed facilities, and industry supporters, click here.

Media Contacts: Kau’ilani Robinson & Addie Davis

Due to the advocacy of the Washington Meeting and Convention Coalition (WMCC), Washington Governor Jay Inslee has modified the state’s Phase 2 and Phase 3 restrictions around business meetings, professional development training and testing, and similar activities, effective as of September 21. According to the new guidance, the Governor’s Safe Start reopening plan will permit meetings and business events to be held at an indoor capacity of 30% or 200 guests,
whichever is less (excluding venue staff).

Adherence to strict COVID-19 protocols must be followed, including implementation of social distancing requirements for staff, attendees, and onsite vendors or contractors, and all attendees will be required to wear masks within each facility. Venues must also achieve the Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC) STAR accreditation or follow compliance with a comparable program. Recognized as the gold standard of safe venues, GBAC STAR provides third-party validation to ensure the implementation of rigorous protocols in response to biorisk situations.

On July 7, the Washington State Convention Center (WSCC) announced its commitment to achieve the GBAC STAR accreditation on outbreak prevention, response and recovery.

The WSCC has also released a Safety First Overview, which outlines the guidelines, precautionary measures, and requirements to be followed by everyone who enters the building.

These guidelines include the use of EPA-approved disinfecting products and electrostatic sprayers, increased food safety measures, and access to the building limited to event attendees only. Along with safety guidelines, the convention center has also developed a virtual event studio which will allow meeting planners to broadcast virtual or hybrid (both in-person and virtual) meetings to attendees. The studio, which features first-class projection, lighting and a
pre-installed audio/video control system, is an essential addition for the interim reality of inperson meetings.

“We’re pleased to have the opportunity to welcome back small groups to the building during Phase 2,” said Jeff Blosser, Washington State Convention Center President & CEO. “The convention center has bolstered its already stringent cleaning protocol to provide an even safer, but still comfortable, environment for event-goers. We look forward to collaborating with clients to mitigate known risk factors for in-person events so they and their attendees can focus on program content.”

Visit Seattle also recently launched the “All Clear King County” Safety Pledge – an initiative to encourage strict safety protocols and a means to promote those businesses implementing them. Visit Seattle is also asking that visitors to King County make a similar commitment by respecting safety measures in place – mask wearing, physical distancing, handwashing, etc. This comes in advance of an extensive marketing campaign made possible by the King County Council’s allocation of $8 million in CARES funding for tourism recovery. The campaign will launch October 1.

“We are grateful to Governor Inslee and state officials for recognizing the critical role of meetings and business events during this time,” said Tom Norwalk, Visit Seattle President and CEO. “This is a positive step forward and we hope it will illuminate the ability to safely host larger meetings and business events as we move forward through the phases.”

“As a member of the Coalition team working with the staff from the Governor’s Office, Labor & Industries and the State Health Department, I was extremely impressed by their focus on understanding our venue operations, commitment to the safety of our staff and guests, and desire to find a path for a safe reopening,” said Tim Carr, Meydenbauer Center President and CEO. “Our Coalition spent considerable time reviewing approved guidance for other industry sectors to determine how we could create a safe meeting environment that met or exceeded the safety guidelines of other business sectors.”

In anticipation of inviting attendees back safely to in-person events, venues throughout the state have been tirelessly enhancing their safety protocols and procedures:

Meydenbauer Center has heightened their cleaning and sanitation standards in response to COVID-19 and has earned the GBAC STAR accreditation. Their enhanced safety measures include increasing disinfection of high-touch surfaces and spaces, conducting randomized Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) testing to identify growing microorganisms on surfaces, HVAC modifications, and increased staff safety protocols. Meydenbauer has also developed a virtual events studio to bring virtual meeting attendees together as safely and professionally as possible.

Greater Tacoma Convention Center has implemented “The Greater Way Forward” to improve their safety measures. They have also achieved the GBAC STAR accreditation, along with HVAC upgrades to improve air quality, electrostatic sprayers to thoroughly disinfect spaces between meetings, UVC cleaning technology added to escalators and more.