The annual show for the Federation of the American Society of Experimental Biology was underway in the Las Vegas Convention Center when an explosion literally shook the building. "I called the event coordinator immediately," says Geri Goodenough, Director of the Office of Scientific Meetings and Conferences for FASEB. "While I was talking with him, there was another explosion, and panels started popping out of the walls in the hall."

The explosion had taken place at a chemical plant in nearby Henderson. "We had to decide together whether to evacuate the building or keep people inside," says Goodenough. "The coordinator said we weren't in any direct danger. But we didn't know what kind of chemicals were involved. We decided the best thing would be to keep people inside the building, but away from the windows, in case they should break. We made an announcement right away so that people wouldn't panic and would stay inside."

Goodenough could hardly have anticipated such a crisis. But when it did occur, she was able to react quickly because a procedure was already in place. "Every show manager should be in constant radio contact with the event coordinator," she says. But when she called the event coordinator, she didn't discuss the problem; instead, she asked him to call her in the show office. The reason: "I didn't want to have this conversation on the radio. You talk on the phone when you don't want the whole world to know what's going on." Had people overheard the conversation, the result could have been rumors, misinformation and panic.

As it happens, what Goodenough does have to anticipate is disruption by demonstrators. Her show has been a target of animal rights activists protesting the use of animals in research. Thus, she holds a pre-show meeting with the convention center manager and the show security staff to discuss policies and procedures. "As long as people have a permit, they can demonstrate peacefully outside the hall, and we don't get involved," says Goodenough. "But if they got into the building and disrupted the programs, they'd be removed. That's our decision, not the building's." Interestingly enough, demonstrators have never come into a building, but Goodenough still reviews her contingency plan before each show.

The moral of this tale: Show managers need to be prepared for what is likely to happen, but they need to know how to handle the unlikely, as well.

Of course, there's probably an infinite number of potential on-site emergencies, and it would be impossible to have a safety plan in place for each one. However, some emergencies are almost certain to occur, and some are very likely to occur. In talking with show managers, facility managers and others in the industry, however, it becomes apparent that contingency plans for emergencies range from thorough to nonexistent. There is little consistency among the plans that do exist, and there is controversy over who is responsible for what in an emergency.

The Guidelines for Life/Safety in the Exposition Industry, currently under development by the National Association of Exposition Managers, address such problems. These guidelines are non-binding recommendations, but will still have some legal weight, says Sheldon London, a partner in the law firm of London and Satagaj, and NAEM general counsel. "There will be a reasonable period of time for learning to live with this plan," he advises. But once that period has elapsed, if a show manager is involved in an incident where there is bodily injury or damage to property, and it can be shown that he or she did not have a contingency plan in place, "the show manager will be at peril," London warns.

What crises or emergencies can show managers reasonably expect to face? And what is their responsibility in preparing to deal with those events? What must they do to safeguard lives and property -- and avoid liability?

"An accident is inevitably going to happen," says Jack Withiam Jr., Senior Vice President of George Little Management, Inc. "It could be a fall, a heart attack, heart palpitations or someone getting dizzy. At some shows, that sort of thing is a daily occurrence."

Robert Taylor, Field Operations Manager for J & D Expo Productions, says that at his Consumer Lifestyle shows, "I keep an eye toward things that are lifestyle specific. At our ski shows, for example, we set up ramps that we use for demonstrations and also to give lessons. A person could twist an ankle or fall."

There are other show-specific concerns as well. Geri Goodenough, as mentioned, has to prepare for the possibility of demonstrators, as would a show manager for a fur association or someone handling an AIDS conference. And Leonard Ennis, Executive Vice President of the American Home Sewing and Craft Association, alerts show managers to the possibility of having an event disrupted by controversy from another show. When his National Sewing and Crafts Show was at Moscone Center, The Associated Builders and Contractors were sharing the facility. Violent protesters picketing the ABC blocked the front entrance of the hall on opening day, and Ennis' attendees had to use a side entrance. Promised police protection was ineffective, he recalls, and many buyers were frightened into leaving. "The first day of our show is the best orderwriting day, and a lot of orders were lost." His advice: "Your best safety feature, at a hall where you might be sharing the facility, is to find out before you sign a contract if the other organization could engender problems."

Fire is a possibility at any show, but may be more likely to occur at shows with displays of electrical equipment, or food shows where cooking is allowed in exhibitors' booths. Bomb threats are lower on the list of possibilities: "I've had maybe five bomb threats in 18 years of doing shows," reports Dan Simmons, President of Simmons Investigative & Security Agency, Inc. But perhaps they are becoming more common: NAEM's Guidelines include detailed instructions for handling a bomb threat. Then there are snowstorms, earthquakes and tornadoes. Who can say whether those are likely or unlikely to occur?

Connie Akin, Exposition Manager for the Produce Marketing Association, echoes the views of many of her peers when she says that the first step in preparing for medical emergencies, natural disasters or threats to security is always the same: "Talk with management at the facility. Find out what they provide, and what you must get. But whether the facility provides something or not, the ultimate responsibility lies with me." The Produce Marketing Annual Convention and Exposition is held in a different hall each year. In 1992, it will be in Denver, and Akin already has a list of what she needs.

This year, meanwhile, the show is at Boston's John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center. Akin says that although show management decides, for example, what hours the nursing staff will work, the Hynes selects that staff, thereby reducing its own liability. If such an arrangement is not made, she says, "Show management must check credentials and be sure the nurse is qualified."

But Akin also considers it her responsibility to head off accidents. "When I go on a site inspection," she says, "I look for things that could cause trouble. On the dock, for example, perhaps there's a place where there should be a railing. I might suggest that one be built." Similarly, Withiam says, "Before I even sign a contract, I want to be sure I understand the physical features of the building."

Many of the provisions and requirements at the Hynes are spelled out in a statement that is discussed in detail at the pre-show meeting. "The facility is the first one with responsibility for having plans and procedures in place," says Sheree Wallace, Director of Security for the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. "I spend at least half an hour with the client to review all that."

Accidents being such a real possibility at J & D shows, Taylor admits he prepares for worst-case scenarios. "I get the American Red Cross on site during set-up as well as during the show -- they're prepared for any kind of emergency." If an accident does occur, he says, "It's our duty to get qualified personnel to the scene as soon as possible." That, of course, is the duty of all show managers. Thus, it's essential for all staff -- from floor managers to security guards -- to know where medical personnel are located, and which personnel have CPR or other medical training.

Taylor says his company discourages its own people from administering first aid, because of liability concerns. But that's a tough call, he admits: "You can't really be coldhearted and tell a person who knows CPR not to use it if he thinks he could save someone's life."

Freelance floor manager Dick Gustafson, President of Floor Management, Inc., was at the FASEB show at the time of the explosion, although he wasn't working the show. As a result of that rattling experience, he says, "One of the first questions I ask at a pre-show meeting is 'Who's responsible for evacuating the building? The show manager? The convention center? Security?'"

That question could come up in case of a major fire, threatening weather conditions or a bomb threat. Here again, the starting point is a meeting with facility management. "Buildings have procedures," Withiam observes. "You must be sure that your staff and the security staff in the building are in accord on what those procedures are."

At the Hynes, for example, the procedures statement explains that when a fire alarm is activated, there is a pre-alert signal -- a series of beeps -- that will be followed by a prerecorded message alerting people to listen for further instructions. If the authorities determine that evacuation is necessary, a siren will sound, and people should leave by the emergency exit stairs. Clearly, all show staff should understand the meaning of the beeps and sirens in advance -- hence the need for the pre-function meeting.

Wallace stresses to clients that the alert messages will override speakers at meetings, so everyone is assured of getting the warning. Also, evacuation instructions or an "all-clear" announcement will override everything, including the siren. And, a major concern for many show managers, building security monitors the show floor during an evacuation to be sure nothing is stolen.

Although procedures such as these are established by facility management, all the responsibility is not theirs. "I know the building inside out," says show manager Akin. "During the pre-function meeting, our employees are told where the exits are. Also, fire exits and fire hoses are marked on the floorplan in the exhibitor manual -- that's the responsibility of the contractor." Gustafson says that when he's floor manager at a show, he circles fire extinguishers in red on his floorplan.

At the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, "We have an extensive evacuation system," says Director of Administration Sue DiCastro. "No facility could have one evacuation system," she explains. "It depends on the emergency. If there were a tornado, we'd want people to go down into the lower part of the building. But if there were a fire, we'd want to evacuate away from the fire.

"Our emergency procedures are geared to calling the authorities, and then we'd consult with show managers," DiCastro says. In the case of a bomb threat, for example, the police would be called and they'd decide whether or not to take it seriously.

In all these instances, good communication is key -- and not just during show hours. "We hire 24-hour security," says Goodenough. "They know where I'm staying, and building security also knows. They can always reach me or my assistant." Wallace points out that the Hynes has a 24-hour phone number that show managers can call in an emergency.

Many show managers agree that the evacuation decision is the province of facility management. Withiam, however, disagrees. "Usually the building leaves it on your shoulders," he says. "In the 1970s, we evacuated the New York Coliseum during the Stationery Show. It's the show manager's call -- but if city authorities say they're closing the building, we'll go along with them."

Dan Simmons, of Simmons Investigative, maintains that "Show management has the easiest part to play. All power sits with them until a disaster takes place. Then the building takes full control. Major buildings have a disaster plan in place, and we implement it. Once something happens, the show manager is in the loop -- and if he's smart, he's out the door."

When viewpoints differ this much, it's critical that not only procedures, but jurisdictions, be made completely clear during the pre-show meeting.

That meeting is also the time for everyone to learn about what's new or unusual. Says Withiam, "We'll tell contractors and security if, say, we've added a lounge area at the back of the show, and we like to know what's new in the building."

Says Wallace, "The security manager and building manager need to know, for example, if there are a lot of handicapped attendees, or if any of the merchandise needs special protection. Depending on the history of the event -- if it's a subject about which there has been some protest -- we inform the client that extra precautions are needed."

An underlying concern in all these situations, of course, is liability. "Legally, you might be better off if you have procedures in place," Jack Withiam observes. "But more practically speaking, if you have procedures in place, not as much will go wrong."