EPMS - checklists

Parade Checklist

• Parade route approval
  • Traffic management
  • Emergency Response plan - police fire ambulance, security
• List of participants
• Order of participants
• Confirmation of date and time
• Task force and committees set up
• Meetings scheduled
• Event manual created including production/run sheets
• Information distributed to participants
• Equipment needed
• Staff required, trained and uniformed
• Entertainment - secured and scheduled
• Confirmation of subcontractors including cleaning, waste, catering, transport
• Method of transport during the parade
• Media strategy - including camera sightlines and security
• Notification of impact - shops, residents
• VIPs secured and operation impact measured (e.g. extra security)
• Contingency plan including weather
• Assembly area secured, marked out and equipped
• Disassembly area prepared
• Barricade setup and breakdown schedule
• Briefing times established
• On site communications check - handhelds, mobile phones, loud hailers, sound system
• Debriefing and site check

Staff and volunteer uniforms

If your staff are to be really helpful then the parade participants have to be able to find them. A distinctive uniform (I've used local council bright orange T shirts and white hats) can be a great communication help. When there is an emergency the staff can be quickly spotted. Different coloured uniforms can be used to indicate different jobs - a colour coding which assist the participants to find the right person.

Assembly points

The assembly area is very important to the success of the parade. It needs to be clearly marked for the different groups or themes to the parade. Where they are placed prior to the parade involves a web of decisions - who will go first?, how will they get out of their area easily?, what can fill the possible hole in the parade? Will the elephants or camels pass the horses on their way out?
Also it is where the participants can leave their extra gear - so security is an issue here. A parade that ends up at the assembly area means that this gear does not have to be carted to another area.
The area is used for the last briefing before the parade and the inspection for safety and design.

Parade Order

The order of the participants in a parade is a fascinating matter of both artistic and practical design. For example, placing brass bands and highland pipe bands near each other leads to a mix of tempo as they play at slightly different tempi.
To the spectator, the passing sights and sounds can have a developing artistic rhythm that should be well planned to give the right rise and fall of excitement.

Go to EPMS Schema

OR Go to Checklist Site

Copyright W.J. O'Toole 2001