It happened last Sunday evening.  A guest at a meeting choked while everyone was attending the opening night reception.  Only because the meeting planner and his team had rehearsed this potential emergency, they were ready on the spot to help the choking victim and move guests away from the area and continue the event as much as possible.  

What if a guest at your meeting suddenly starts choking or passes out?  Have an Immediate Plan of Action in place to react on the spot for the safety of the injured party and everyone’s well-being.

  • Call 911.  Report your exact location and the guest’s problem
  • Inform Banquets Personnel to start CPR
  • You and your team also need to be trained in CPR
  • Move guests away from the area to keep the event going as much as possible
  • Instruct Banquets Personnel to alert Security, General Manager, & Conference Services of your location, situation and that EMT (Emergency Medical Technicians) is on their way
  • You or a team member meet EMT at the lobby front doors & escort them to exact location
  • Know the name and address of the closet hospital
  • You or someone on your team accompany the guest to the hospital
  • Inform & stay in contact with the injured guest’s Emergency Contact and provide them with the name & telephone number of the hospital & your cell phone number, too
  • Stay at hospital until the guest is ready to be released or checked into the hospital
  • Inform & update all guests at the next group gathering about the guest’s welfare.
  • Take a hot bath and sip some tea!

I often say if you have an umbrella chances are it won’t rain.  If you have a Plan in Place for Emergencies, chances are you’ll never have to use it.  Yet not being prepared can literally turn tragic. Think of every possible thing that could go wrong, and have a plan in place to handle every potential problem.  That is the role and responsibility of a well-prepared meeting planner and organization that host events.