Public Safety and Event Management

All special events should have an emergency safety plan. Event safety, security, and crowd management planning must follow Seattle Fire Code (SFC) 403.3. This code sets the training level and number of event staff as well as requiring emergency management contingency plans.

City, County, and State agencies review every Seattle Special Event request. These agencies work with event organizers to establish emergency and safety operating levels on a case-by-case basis. 

Emergency Medical Services

All special events should have an emergency safety plan that includes designated 911 caller(s). The information below should also be available for an emergency response:

  • Event entrance/exit points and addresses

  • Description of potential emergencies

  • Event Lead(s) contact information 

     

Types of Medical Services

Depending on the type of event and conditions, you may need other medical services. Things like weather, lighting, athletic activity, and high-risk behaviors will determine the appropriate level of medical services for your event. Such as:

  • Basic First Aid Kit (Event provided)

  • Aid Stations

  • Roving SFD Responders

  • Bike SFD Responders

  • Gator SFD Responders

  • Ambulances

The Seattle Fire Department's Medic One program provides emergency medical coverage to over 550 events in the city each year. EMTs and Paramedics are available to staff large events in Seattle with bikes, gators or medic units. For more information, please contact the Medic One office.

Members of Seattle Fire Department pose in front of a fire truck

Fire Watch Personnel

If the fire code official decides it is necessary for public safety, the owner, agent or lessee of the space where the event is being held must provide one or more fire watch personnel. 

Fire watch personnel will be approved by the Seattle Fire Marshal and must remain on duty during the times the event location is open to the public or when activity is being conducted. The Fire Marshal may require fire watch personnel for a variety of reasons, including the number of people anticipated or the nature of the performance, exhibition, display, contest or activity.

General Duties

All attendants, employees, and staff of fairs, festivals, and outdoor public assemblages should maintain a constant fire watch, which involves keeping a diligent watch for smoke and fire, obstructions to means of egress and emergency vehicle routes, and other hazards during the event. 

Attendants, employees, and supervisors should take prompt measures for remediation of hazards, calling 911 when required, and assist with evacuation of impacted areas according to the written emergency plan. 

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Required Public Safety Plan

If you are organizing an event with an expected attendance of 1,000 or more people in one location at any given time, you must complete and submit a Public Safety Plan in addition to the Special Event Application. You may also submit a document that includes all of the same information as the form. 

In general, the plan must include all of the following conditions and related safety measures:

  • Nature of the events, the participants, and attendees

  • Access and egress movement, including crowd density problems

  • Medical emergencies

  • Fire hazards and/or fire protection equipment provided

  • Permanent and temporary structural systems

  • Severe weather conditions

  • Earthquakes

  • Civil or other disturbances

  • Hazardous materials incidents within and near the facility

  • Acts of terrorism within and near the facility

  • Relationships among facility management, event participants, emergency response agencies, and others having a role in the assembly events 

A uniformed Seattle police officer smiles at the camera while riding a Segway at a community parade



Additional Health and Safety Measures

  1. Seattle Police Department (SPD) reviews events on a case-by-case basis and may require assigning Uniformed Police Officers for safety and security or traffic control.

    • At SPD’s discretion, this staffing may be performed by trained professional security staff or volunteers. SPD will work with you to determine whether placing non-police staff is safe, legal, and feasible as a condition of your permit, based on review of your monitor posting plan and proof of training.

    • If required non-police staffing fails to be provided and/or proves inadequate, any or all parts of the event may be shut down, and the event organizer may be subject to additional fees and/or fines.

    • Requests for increased SPD event staffing should be directed to Seattle Police Operations Center at (206) 684-5090.

    • The fee for police staffing at a special event is charged per hour per officer, with a two-hour minimum per officer. These fees apply for all officers at events categorized as athletic events, commercial events, or citywide events.  

  2. Medical Response Staffing and presence is determined by Seattle Fire Department (SFD) upon review of the event and additional needs of the organizer. Dedicated fire and EMS response resources will be assigned to large events.

    • If you are planning an event in the City of Seattle and expect more than 5,000 people, contact the Medic One office to discuss Medical Staffing requirements.  



Crowd Control Requirements

Seattle Fire Code requires that trained crowd managers be provided for facilities or events where more than 1,000 persons congregate. The minimum number of crowd managers is based on a ratio of 1 crowd manager for every 250 people.

Crowd Management Plan

The crowd management plan is part of the public safety plan you submit with your event application and should clearly identify all crowd manager positions and duties including those persons responsible for calling 911 and meeting emergency responders. Crowd manager stations and location assignments should be illustrated on the site layout plan.

The individual people or staff positions acting as crowd mangers should be identified in the written emergency procedures portion of your approved public safety plan and/or the fire safety and emergency plan. We recommend that alternate crowd managers be trained and available.

An aerial view of a large crowd gathered in front of a stage outside the entrance to Lumen Field



Crowd Manager Duties

Designated crowd managers will appropriately implement the following emergency procedures in addition to those described in your approved public safety plan and/or the fire safety and emergency plan: 

  • Watch for obstructions to exits (egress areas) and other hazards during the time the event area is open to the public or activity is being conducted

  • Act as fire watch personnel and keep diligent watch for fires and take prompt measures for remediation of hazards, extinguishment of fires that occur, and assist in the evacuation of the public from the event areas (i.e., structures, premises)

Crowd Manager Training

Designated crowd managers must be familiar with your approved public safety plan and/or the fire safety and emergency plan. They must also be trained in the emergency procedures described in the plan.

Trainings for Marches and Demonstrations

Community members attending the Rainier Valley Heritage Parade chat with uniformed Seattle police officers on the parade route

Special Events

Address: 700 5th Avenue, Suite 5752, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 94708, Seattle, WA, 98124-4708
Phone: (206) 684-8017
Fax: (206) 684-7025

The City of Seattle plays a strong role in helping event planners bring people together safely and successfully in both city-wide and neighborhood events.