- Recruit volunteers.
- Review budget and supplies (3 months prior).
- Consider event insurance coverage and hold harmless/indemnity agreements.
- Clear trees, trim dead branches and evaluate pathways for clearance (1 month prior).
- Coordinate comprehensive structural evaluation by city engineer/building department for shop-made structures (e.g., haunted house, existing infrastructure, canal bridges) (1 month prior).
- Evaluate water’s edge for steepness and areas marked for fencing.
- Mark areas for Scare Zones with paint for guidance in accordance with event plan.
- Inspect at night to assess lighting conditions.
- Evaluate sidewalks for slip, trip and fall hazards, and repair as required.
- City safety officer conducts safety meeting and walkthrough to evaluate event plans on site (2 weeks prior).
- Establish emergency evacuation locations, and identify and review exit signage and fire extinguisher stations with staff.
- Run through a full dress rehearsal to review Scare Zones with staff in the evening and correctly place lighting (1 week prior).
- Conduct night training of staff and volunteers, including a full workshop on etiquette, scare tactics, safety and evacuation routes.
- Perform final walkthrough including full lighting review/placement and evaluation of delineation of pedestrian walkways to determine whether lines are properly located as per the plan.
- Complete a final walkthrough (1 day prior).
- Execute the event (day of event).
- Clean up and remove temporary structures (day after the event).
Find an event safety checklist on PS Extra.
