The World Cup 2022 is approaching, let’s look at mass crowd safety

The World Cup is one of the biggest events in sport, with a record-breaking 3.6 billion people tuning in to the 2018 tournament: which is more than half of the world’s population! With this in mind, soccer matches in general gather mass crowds into the stadiums (over 20,000 people on average) which can bring many health and safety risks.  

Crowd surges which have little to no management can result in chaos, panic and in severe circumstances, fatalities. In events as large as the World Cup, the organizers will be sure to put the right procedures in plan to pass regulations, however it’s still worth knowing where to start if you’re planning a mass gathering event. 

Managing crowds safely is your duty as an organizer

Whether you are a large enterprise or small, managing crowds safely require the following steps:

• Setting clear roles and responsibilities
• Work with others to ensure crowd safety
• Plan for incidents and emergencies
• Assess the risks and identify hazards
• Put crowd controls in place

Read these steps in more detail: HSE.gov.uk

For this year’s World Cup hosted in Qatar, they have set up a technology hub that uses AI (Artificial Intelligence) to watch over spectators, check crowd swells and even control the stadium temperature. More than 100 technicians will work around the clock at the hub, where they will be able to operate entry gates, ensure there is running water and keep air conditioners running smoothly. “Experts from cybersecurity to anti-terrorism to transport will be stationed at the centre, along with Qatar and FIFA officials.” - aljazeera.com

How do crowd surges escalate?

Other than the obvious mass amount of people contributing to a crowd surge, there are many factors which can turn it fatal. Other than trampling, many people in a crowd actually lose lives due to suffocation. Heat can also be a contributing factor, as the hotter the area is can result in more panic. Therefore, it’s great to see that Qatar is recognising this and taking action to keep crowds safe. 

Managing crowds can be tricky and unpredictable, which is why it’s key to have the correct procedures in place when it’s time to act. In October, police fired tear gas after an Indonesian soccer match in an attempt to stop violence, however it triggered a disastrous crush of fans making a panicked, chaotic run for the exits, leaving at least 125 people dead. President Joko Widodo ordered an investigation of security procedures and stated in a televised interview: “I deeply regret this tragedy and I hope this is the last soccer tragedy in this country, don’t let another human tragedy like this happen in the future.” - AP News

TyTek can provide support during mass gatherings

Whilst we hope that the right actions are in place to keep crowds safe, at TyTek Medical we can work with organizers to provide even more emergency preparedness. We recognise the need to prioritize point-of-injury medical supplies, especially at mass gathering events where supply access may be restricted or limited. Introducing everything you need to save lives in one unique kit: Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) System

Categorically, nobody before us in the emergency medical industry has designed a trauma kit that folds out to allow side-by-side working with added extendable floodlights. This unique feature takes care of poor visibility and frees the hands of rescuers while bringing some order to a chaotic situation. The items in our kits are designed to address severe trauma, these include: 

• Hemorrhage
• Burn airway compromise
• Pneumothorax
• Hypothermia

This is essential in places that attract large numbers of people, such as the World Cup, where there is potential to outstrip on-site resources and to ensure you have the most appropriate trauma care kit. If you’re an organizer looking to become better prepared for any situation, then please get in touch with us to find out more about our MCI bag or our other live-saving products.

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