The Event Safety Podcast

It is fireworks season! Danielle sits down with Ryan Abel, a fireworks and FX designer and pyrotechnic specialist. This in-depth chat covers pyro from design to operations, including budget, AHJs, permits and safety protocols. Site selection, weather, and show-stop criteria each get real-world treatment, including stopping a show mid-performance when winds spiked unexpectedly.  The discussion goes...

Pink Bows Foundation grew out of tragedy. After ten people, including Madison Dubiski, lost their lives at Astroworld in 2021, her family channeled an outpouring of community grief into an organization committed to making live events safer for everyone. The foundation's work runs on three pillars: a philanthropy program honoring Madison's commitment to community service, a Showstop procedure cours...

Danielle Hernandez is joined by guest co-host Fr. David Garretson along with guests Bill Conner and Dan Culhane for an in-depth discussion of the present, past and future of fire safety curtains and their place in both venues and codes.   For over a century, theaters have been required to provide either a fire curtain, a deluge system, or mechanical exhaust at the proscenium to separate the stage...

Co-host Anna Glover joins Danielle Hernandez to explore a topic that sits at the heart of everything we do in live events: how do you make good decisions when you can't know the outcome? Their guest, Ben Cattaneo, is a risk and resilience professional, host of the Decision-Making Studio podcast, and co-author of "Decision Making in the Polycrisis Era". Ben opens by drawing a clear line between ris...

Episode 116: Survey Says... Weather with DTN! ---------------------------------------- Weather is the leading disruptor of live events, and the industry's relationship with weather intelligence has matured significantly over the past decade. Danielle Hernandez and co-host Tami Richter sit down with Renny Vandewege, General Manager of Weather Intelligence at DTN, to dig into the results of a major...

Episode 115: The Training Pod ---------------------------------------- Phil van Hest and Sean Fox of Rock Force join Danielle and Bryan to tackle a question that many organizations eventually face: where do you start when you're building a crew training program from scratch?   Using a hypothetical production company as a framework, the conversation works through the foundational decisions every tr...

Episode 114: ESA 114 - GCMA's The Service Playbook ---------------------------------------- What does it take to turn a safety plan into a positive experience for your attendees? Danielle Hernandez sits down with Thyr Rodrigues, a spectator services veteran whose career spans the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014, the Rio 2016 Olympics, the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, and UEFA's Euro 2020 and 202...

It's March Madness!  In this episode, hosts Danielle Hernandez and John Badcock explore the logistical and operational complexities of hosting the annual NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments. They are joined by Joey Doster (Lenovo Center, NC) and Becca Wilusz (Duke University) to discuss the bidding process, rapid scheduling, security perimeters, broadcast constraints and the challenges o...

In this episode, Danielle and Doug Bruce speak with UK events operations consultant Miriam Stone about Major Incident Planning for event operations. The conversation explores the critical differences between standard operational incidents and major incidents that require a multi-agency response. Key topics include emergency reporting, crowd management, the importance of continuous training and tab...

Episode Summary In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, hosts Danielle Hernandez and Jim Digby explore the complex and visually stunning world of laser technology in live entertainment. They are joined by Roberta McHatton (Laser Safety Services) and Harry Boyde (ER Productions), who provide expert insights into the physics of lasers, the evolution of safety standards since the 1980s, and the...

Danielle and guest co-host Anita Hartsock are joined by Richard Cadena to discuss the dangers of electrical shock on stages.  We explore exactly how stray current can travel through gear and people and why proper grounding is absolutely crucial.  Also, there is discussion about some real incidents that illustrate the point and prove why a non-contact voltage sniffer should be a part of your tool k...

Hey friends! We’re getting a little bit "in the weeds" today, and behind the scenes at The Event Safety Alliance.  ESA is going through an exciting transition, and we are so delighted to be joined by our new leadership team to talk about what’s next for our Life Safety First mission. www.publichealtheverything.com

🎙️ You Guys! We Talked ETCP Certifications! If you’ve ever wondered how to determine who in this business really knows their discipline, especially in an industry without formal training requirements, this is the episode for you. We had Christina Smith from ESTA and Bill Sapsis of Sapsis Rigging and the ETCP Council join the Event Safety Podcast to break down the Entertainment Technician Certifica...

This time around, John Badcock joins Danielle for a conversation on inspiration, motivation and the value of the event safety community.

October is definitely spooky season.  In celebration of haunts, scares and horror experiences, hosts Danielle & Bryan talk to Kim Scott, General Manager of the recently launched Universal Horror Unleashed .   The conversation ranges from jump scares to regulations and how to mentor the up-and-coming planners as they create new attractions in this genre.   Also, boo holes.  Happy haunting!!     Uni...

In this episode Danielle and guest co-host Boxer Hardison had a conversation with Jeff Reder of Clark Reder Engineering Inc., focused on discussing structural engineering for the entertainment industry, sharing insights about their work on concert stages, theater sets, and temporary structures for events like Coachella. The discussion covered engineering processes, challenges with weather and safe...

This week Danielle and guest co-host Janet Sellery talk with special guest, Betty Siegel, about accessibility in live events. They explore service animals, communication accommodations, and assistive technologies.  The conversation includes various accessibility considerations including sensory-friendly performances, mobility accommodations, and the importance of involving people with disabilities...

In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, host Danielle is joined by ESA friends Jacob Worek and John Badcock for a round table discussion of what all has occurred so far this year in the event industry. From incidents, accidents, and near misses, to weather (so much weather), as well as tools and guidance, the first half of 2025 has been full of lessons for event professionals to consider when...

In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and guest host Bryan Huneycutt have an in-depth discussion about life on the road with Ryan George of thistourlife.com . Topics included everything from a new retirement benefit program to challenges for physical, mental and financial health on tour as well as advocacy within the touring community. ThisTourLife.com Amber.health tourhealth.org c...

What does it take to build a worldwide tour From Zero ? In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast , Danielle poses this question to long-time Linkin Park Tour Director (and ESA President) Jim Digby. They discuss how Linkin Park and their team kept the band's re-launch a secret from their notoriously dedicated fanbase, the production considerations involved in their first tour in eight years, the...

In celebration of our 100th episode, we're sharing safety success stories from across the ESA community! From the creation of new standards and training programs to improved planning and collaboration, Danielle and guest co-host Tami Richter celebrate your wins and recognize our industry’s ongoing efforts to enhance safety for all. A sincere thank you to our guests and listeners for supporting the...

In this episode of the Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and special guest host Dave Ellis dive into the world of event security with Dan Donovan , founder and Managing Partner of security solutions providers Stratoscope & Ingressotek . Discussion includes what goes into planning for event security, common misconceptions people have about the role, workforce development, technology, engaging with pub...

What does it take to create a comprehensive safety education program for event professionals? In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast , Danielle discusses the recently launched UC San Diego Event Safety Certificate Program with several of its creators—Ken Keberle ( 611 Resource Group ), Stephanie Spann ( UCSD ), Stephanie MacGilfrey ( UCSD ), and Jacob Worek ( ESA ). Topics include the program...

There are many similarities between planning for event operations and emergency management. In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast Danielle and special guest host Doug Bruce ( Creative Safety ) explore these crossover points with two highly experienced, event-focused emergency managers we met at the Event Safety Alliance Canada Conference, Sherry Beard and Simon Hunt . They discuss a wide ran...

In this holiday season "mini-episode" of the Event Safety Podcast, we share a few of the many stories told at our first "Safety Slam", held during this year's Event Safety Summit. Listen in for some AI-generated slam poetry, communication snafus, and tales of questionable "blue" drinking water. We hope you enjoy it and look forward to seeing you all again in the new year. Stay safe!