After doing countless table-top exercises and workshops since Coors Field opened in 1995, the Rockies organization decided it was time to put their training to the test with an evacuation exercise at the stadium on August 14, 2014.
One of the main goals of the exercise was to train Rockies and Coors Field operational staff on how to work with police, fire, and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel to quickly and effectively evacuate fans from the stadium, including people with disabilities and others that may require additional assistance. As stated by Kevin Kahn, Vice President/Chief Customer Officer of Ballpark Operations for the Rockies, “exercises like this are important because they give my staff the opportunity to practice our plans. They also give our police, fire and EMS partners the opportunity to identify and overcome unique challenges associated with responding to incidents in a stadium.”
Kahn is no stranger to the types of events that a sports franchise must prepare for. He was working with the Oakland A’s during the earthquake that hit during the 1989 World Series and has been with Major League Baseball for 32 years. Due to this vast experience, Kahn emphasizes the importance of preparing for everything, “while I have been with the Rockies, we have done exercises for everything from severe weather to a train derailment behind the stadium.”
In preparation for this exercise, the Rockies collaborated with police, fire, EMS, and the City and County of Denver Office of Emergency Management personnel starting in March 2014. The vast majority of the 270 volunteers that participated in the exercise were members of Denver Community and Emergency Response Training (CERT). CERT volunteers in the Denver metro-area are some of the most active and committed CERT members throughout the nation. Despite the exercise taking place in the middle of a workday, the Rockies were still able to get volunteers to come out and participate. As stated by Carolyn Bluhm, the CERT coordinator for the City and County of Denver, “I was impressed ---but not surprised---with the positive response when I sent the call out for volunteers. Denver CERT members logged 42,000 hours last year to make this city more prepared and resilient.”
After going through the exercise after action process, Kahn will share lessons learned with other MLB clubs during their annual meetings when operational personnel gather to discuss best practices. As stated by Kahn, “sharing best practices and learning from other organizations is important to the Rockies. We have conducted joint emergency training with Sports Authority Field and Pepsi Center personnel and I observed the Pepsi Center evacuation exercise last October. Additionally, several MLB officials came to Denver to observe this exercise.”
The Rockies’ commitment to continuous improvement and disaster preparedness not only helps their organization, but it has also aided the City and County of Denver and other MLB franchises in becoming more resilient to any challenge thrown their way.