The Event Safety Podcast

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!

In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast , Danielle recaps this year's excellent ESA Canada Conference with two members of the organization's leadership team, Janet Sellery and Kevin Tanner. They reflect on the highlights and key takeaways from this year's program, discuss balancing content and networking, and share what to expect at future editions. Notes: Event Safety Alliance Canada

And...action! In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, we take a slight detour from the live events world to discuss safety in the film industry. Joining Danielle are two highly experienced film pros, Matt Sanders and Fess Shelton. They discuss the similarities and differences between safety in film and live events, the safety planning process, threats and mitigation strategies, roles and resp...

Fall has arrived, which means the Event Safety Summit is right around the corner! In anticipation of this year's event, this episode of The Event Safety Podcast looks back at a few of the many presentations we've featured at the summit over the last ten years (!), including insights from Nathan Vassberg (NASA), Kevin Kloesel (University of Oklahoma), Eric Stuart (Gentian Events), and Betty Siegel...

In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast , Danielle and special guest co-host Kevin Kloesel welcome DTN Solution Engineer and Meteorologist Brad Nelson for a discussion about, as you guessed, weather, with a focus on extreme heat. They explore how heat has become the leading risk to live events, the lasting impacts of heat illness, Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, OSHA's proposed heat rule, and why...

Have you ever looked at a certificate of insurance and felt confused or overwhelmed by the details? Do you really know what that information means and how it protects you (or, worse, leaves you unprotected)? In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Hub International Vice President of Marketing Sue McGuirl joins Danielle and special guest co-host John Badcock for an in-depth look at insurance c...

Independence Day is fast approaching, which means it's the perfect time to talk about pyro! In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Danielle Hernandez and special guest co-host Siobhan Colleen sit down with Pyrotek Special Effects Product and Technical Support and Safety Manager Brian Panther for a conversation about pyrotechnics safety. Discussion topics include planning, permitting, standar...

It's that time of year again...commencement season! In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Danielle is joined by Becca Wilusz (Duke University) and Joey Doster (PNC Arena) for a look at what goes into planning university and high school commencement ceremonies. Discussion includes unique demographic challenges, transportation planning, policy enforcement, communications, show-stop procedures...

In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Danielle welcomes a trio of crowd management experts from the United Kingdom Crowd Management Association (UKCMA) for a conversation about crowd safety in smaller venues - Anne Marie Chebib ( Select Security & Stewarding Ltd ), Eric Stuart ( Gentian Events Ltd ), and Tom Devine ( TMS Protection ). Discussion includes the development and philosophy behin...

In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Danielle welcomes back ESA board member Bryan Huneycutt for a recap of this year's USITT Conference in Seattle. They discuss key takeaways from this year's event, presentation highlights, current safety & health commission initiatives, and more. 

In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and Steve are joined by ESA board member Bryan Huneycutt for a discussion of key insights from Steve's recent participation at SERMAnar in Colorado Springs, which focused on processes related to active assailant events. We delve into his experience with a fresh approach to active shooter training, the limitations of the run/hide/fight strategy...

Staging intimacy on stage and screen requires a delicate balance between artistic vision and actor well-being. In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and Steve sit down with Laura Rikard, CEO of Theatrical Intimacy Education, a consulting group specializing in researching, developing, and teaching best practices for staging theatrical intimacy. They discuss what an intimacy coordina...

"Don't write a Kobayashi Maru " In the latest episode of The Event Safety Podcast, we welcome back the amazing Emma Parkinson for a deep dive into the topic of tabletop exercises. We look at what they are (and aren't), who should be included, how to develop one for your organization, common traps that undermine their effectiveness, and so much more. If you know Emma, you KNOW you're in for an expe...

In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, we shift from the tennis court to the basketball court, with a look at the issue of "court storming" featuring Duke University Assistant Director of Athletics/Game Operations (and friend of the Pod) Becca Wilusz ! We discuss what motivates attendees to take such actions, whether they are reasonably foreseeable, the impact of social media, how to plan fo...

It's so much more than tennis! In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, Danielle and Steve head down under (virtually) for a chat with Lee Ross and Martin Luders, part of the highly skilled safety and compliance team for the Australian Open . Discussion includes what goes into producing an event of this scale, weather planning, compliance, and how they prepared to manage this year's record-bre...

It may be cold outside, but the latest edition of The Event Safety Podcast is RED HOT. In this episode, we welcome back Dr. Kevin Kloesel for an update on what's happening in the event weather space. Discussion includes how planning for one risk can introduce new ones, the importance of deeply understanding your venue, emergency messaging, new lightning guidance, and boatloads (or should we say sn...

With the new year just days away, we're looking back at some of the most important, impactful, or undercovered stories of 2023. From guest issues to climate impacts, it's been an eventful 12 months in the safety world, so grab another cup of cocoa, put your feet up, and join Danielle and Steve as they close out the year. From all of us at The Event Safety Podcast, have a safe and enjoyable holiday...

What did YOU think of the 2023 Event Safety Summit? In this episode of The Event Safety Podcast, we recap some highlights of this year's Summit with two attendees, Francesca Ghizzoni (Production Manager, SXSW) and Emily Jeu (Director of Production, Columbus Association for the Performing Arts). They share their views on what drove them to attend the Summit, why they believe it's important for even...

LINKS: ANSI ES1.40 - 2023, Event Safety - Event Security