Waiting for the next H1N1: How do we Prepare?

Michael Jackson, the Governor of South Carolina and the death of Steve McNair have somehow – through the vigilant efforts of the media – managed to throw the H1N1 (swine flu) virus off the front page. For MPI members, this weekend starts the World Education Congress or WEC. Ask yourself if we, as industry leaders, have taken precautions should an outbreak occur on Friday afternoon. My guess is not much time has been given to such preparations. I don’t blame MPI or any other organization for failing to do so. Instead, I blame us as meeting professionals for not insisting upon it. So what should be done? Join me as I suggest five things that any organization can do to be prepared should a pandemic alert happen again.



1. Communication: I had the great fortune of attending a leadership conference in Ft. Worth, Tex. for MPI board members. One of the great talks, by Amber MacArthur, covered the use of social media, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, et al to communicate. So to aid in fostering communication with all attendees, have a pre-written statement ready to post immediately in the event of a travel alert, terrorist attack or anything that may delay the start, postpone or cancel the event. The statement doesn’t have to be specific. One example could be: “We are aware of the heightened concern in light of the reports of a potential pandemic.” A decision will be made within the next 24 hours as to whether or not the conference will continue. Please continue to check back here to obtain additional information. Phone calls about this issue will not be answered while we await a decision.” Will this placate fears? Maybe not, but at least this small proactive gesture will allow event attendees to know that the decision-making body is on the ball and actions are being taken, instead of keeping them in the dark.


2. Designate a body on the event team to be the point person for gathering information and provide them the resources to do so. If at all possible, appoint one person to be in charge of safety, security and crisis management. They may not be used specifically for these tasks, but do not make this a secondary or tertiary function. By having a fully prepared staff member or employee be responsible, you are taking the first step in being prepared. Resources they need may be a basic contingency plan and being aware of decisions that may need to be communicated rapidly.


3. Create a contingency plan that covers basic issues. For example, if someone is ill or becomes ill, ensure that your plan includes the location and driving directions to either an emergency room or a 24-hr urgent care clinic. In case an attendee needs to fly home immediately, have your plan lay out general guidelines on working with the hotel for immediate check out and transportation guidelines. This could mean having airline phone numbers on an easy access sheet of paper or using a travel service. If you develop methods to handle immediate transportation needs, when the time comes, you can use them to help you efficiently take care of the situation.


4. Develop a crisis action team. Ensure that this team is small, has training in decision making, and has knowledge of the conference goals. I would recommend that at least one member of the team be a senior decision maker from the venue. This reduces communication problems and allows the team to hear alternative solutions from a key player. Be ready with a public relations representative or spokesperson to handle questions from the media or government agencies should the need arise.


5. Train, train, train your staff, client contact, suppliers and any other event team members. During the initial stages of the H1N1 virus when information was on overload, many venues and meeting planners did not know where to start to begin the process of communicating to clients about the next steps. Take a morning once a quarter and talk through your processes. Ensure new staff or employees are aware of who to speak to about situations like the H1N1. You don’t want individuals to depend on spotty information from the media or the Internet to make decisions that may have a financial or public relations downside.


It is not possible to predict events like H1N1. Many people have told me that the SARS issue should have been an industry wake-up call. I won’t quote the exact phrase, but many people know that those who fail to study or remember the past are doomed to repeat it. If SARS and H1N1 are not perfect examples of that, I am not sure what would fit the definition.



My goal is not to scare you or make you instant crisis planners. My goal is to ensure that you have all the information you need to start getting prepared for the next H1N1.



If you need professional assistance in developing a crisis contingency plan, feel free to contact me for a no-obligation introductory consultation, or call upon another contingency planner in the industry. Just please don’t ignore the potential risk to your attendees, clients, company and, not least of all, your professional reputation.