IAVM established a Reopen and Recovery Taskforce to develop and provide written guidance, education, and training opportunities that will enable venue managers to prepare, respond, recover, and restore their venues to safe and operable event spaces. This taskforce is comprised of industry leadership from all venue types and influential allied organizations.

The Public Assembly Facilities Recovery Guide is written guidance designed to help venues make reasonable decisions as it relates to the health and safety of all venue occupants. IAVM has conducted extensive research to provide recommendations that are advisory in nature, informational in content, and intended to assist venues in providing safe and healthy workplaces. This guide is not designed to circumvent government guidance.

As the pandemic continues to evolve rapidly, the Reopen and Recovery Taskforce continues to monitor and evaluate scenarios that impact our members. This written guide serves as a working document that should remain flexible and be adapted for each venue’s specific reopening needs.

Download the Recovery Guide Here

NOTICE: Use the code “IAVM2020” when applying for GBAC!

What is the Global Biorisk Advisory Council Accreditation Program?

The GBAC STAR™ Accreditation Program on Cleaning, Disinfection and Infectious Disease Prevention for Facilities (GBAC STAR™ Program) establishes requirements to assist facilities in the cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention work practices to control risks associated with infectious agents such as SARS-CoV-2, Influenza, MRSA, and TB.

This GBAC STAR™ Program is performance based and sets out requirements for and places responsibility on facilities to demonstrate that appropriate cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention work practices, protocols, procedures, and systems have been established and implemented.

The GBAC STAR™ Program is designed such that any size facility or organization can use it and it is considered scalable.

GBAC Accreditation Resource/Informational documents available to our members:

• GBAC Star  Accreditation Handbook
• GBAC Convention Center Template

GBAC Updates & Submittal Feedback

• GBAC Star Risk Assessment Tip Sheet

GBAC STAR Accreditation Guide/Template-All Venue Template

• GBAC STAR Template

Accreditation Submission Examples:

• Overland Park-OPCC GBAC Submittal
• Georgia World Congress- GWCCA-GBAC STAR Final Submission

IAVM and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Commercial Facilities Sector-Sports League Subsector and Public Assembly Facility Subsector have partnered together in order to help keep venues safe and up to date with the latest safety and security education and best practices. This valuable collaboration will result in shared expertise, content review, and aligned standards. 

This partnership allows all public assemblies from every sector to receive relevant information to enhance Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience as outlined in the Presidential Police Directive. The Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21): Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience advances a national policy to strengthen and maintain secure, functioning, and resilient critical infrastructure.

Helpful Resources

• • Strengthening Security Configurations to Defend Against Attackers Targeting Cloud Services
  • Physical Security of Voting Locations and Election Facilities
  • Cybersecurity Best Practices for Operating Commercial Unmanned Aircraft Systems Fact Sheet
  • CISA Insights – Ransomware Outbreak
  • Soft Targets and Crowded Places Resource Guide
  • Fire as a Weapon: Security Awareness for Soft Targets and Crowded Places
  • Active Shooter Recovery Guide
  • Active Shooter Preparedness Program
  • Pathway to Violence Warning Signs
  • Sector Specific Tabletop Exercise Program
  • Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce
  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems – Fact Sheet
  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems – Law Enforcement Considerations
  • Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) Annex for Outdoor Events Stakeholders
  • Suspicious Activity Reporting Indicators and Examples
  • Nationwide SAR Initiative
  • If You See Something, Say Something
  • Introduction to the Commercial Facilities Sector-Specific Agency
  • DHS Patron Screening Best Practices Guide
  • General Suspicious Activity Fact Sheet

Mega-Shelter Assistance Team (MAT) Volunteer Opportunities with the American Red Cross

The Mega-Shelter Assistance Team is a partnership project between IAVM and the American Red Cross. Its purpose is to connect a IAVM facility managers with significant facility management skills and experience with the Red Cross in the event of a major disaster that requires the operation of a mega-shelter. 

Mega-Shelter Assistance Team (MAT)

The Red Cross’ ability to immediately respond to disaster incidents requires not only Red Cross employees and trained disaster volunteers, but also specifically-skilled, quickly mobilized volunteers who can fill specific needs.  The MAT is comprised of such uniquely qualified volunteers with significant senior leadership experience in public assembly facility management and knowledge of mega-sheltering.

Mega-Shelter Assistance Teams will generally consist of two experienced facility managers who will be deployed to a disaster-affected area to assist the Red Cross in the initiation of mega-shelter operations.  This support may include assistance with the following: identification of facilities; negotiation of license agreements; identification of requisite resources; allocation of space; coordination of the numerous participating agencies; and the initial operation of a mega-shelter.  Teams will be assembled with the best combination of skills and experience based upon the situation and location.  A MAT assignment will typically last from 5 to 10 days based on travel and other factors.

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.  Each year, the American Red Cross responds immediately to more than 70,000 disasters, including house or apartment fires, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hazardous material spills, transportation accidents, explosions, and other natural and man-made disasters.

Red Cross disaster relief focuses on meeting people’s immediate emergency disaster-caused needs.  When a disaster threatens or strikes, the Red Cross provides safe shelter, food, emergency supplies, health and mental health services to address these immediate needs.  In addition to immediate services, Red Cross response includes assistance to enable individual and families to resume their normal daily activities independently.  Volunteers constitute over 90% of the Red Cross workforce and all Red Cross assistance is given free of charge, made possible by the generous contribution of the public’s time, money, and skills. 

For the MAT program, the Red Cross will offer online Red Cross disaster training courses to venue staff and provide deployment assistance including travel arrangements and related expenses to assigned MAT members.

International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM)

IAVM is the ‘Acknowledged Leader’ regarding public assembly facility management and has members experienced in utilizing arena, stadiums, convention centers, and the like for unconventional uses such as mega-shelters.  

For the MAT program, IAVM will gather information regarding the skills and expertise of interested volunteers, maintain a database of interested professionals, and share this information the American Red Cross.  The Red Cross will support MAT applicants through their volunteer engagement process including access to the Red Cross’ volunteer management and learning management systems, online training, notification of potential deployment opportunities and deployment.

Apply Now – Volunteer

By joining the Mega-Shelter Assistance Team program, individuals will be part of a vital team supporting the American Red Cross and IAVM’s efforts to safely and efficiently shelter large numbers of people displaced by disaster.

Resources

• • Mega-Shelter Assistance Team (MAT) Job Description
  • Mega-Shelter Assistance Team (MAT) Application