Here is my hot take on the August 18, 2018 incident in Thackerville, Oklahoma that left 14 patrons injured outside a casino which was scheduled to host a general admission Backstreet Boys concert. Hint: The crowd management left something to be desired. This incident caused me to expand upon a couple of points I had previously drafted in the Crowd Management ANSI standard being jointly prepared by the Event Safety Alliance and ESTA (the Entertainment Services and Technology Association). I Chair the Crowd Management Task Group that is writing the standard, which will be the first of its kind. It’s a ton of work, but it will be worth it to have authoritative guidance on which every event professional can rely.
Many thanks to my friend Dr. Kevin Kloesel, University Meteorologist, Oklahoma University Office of Emergency Preparedness, for his usual wise counsel on all things related to severe weather. Steve Adelman