Managing emergency response for live events—be it a concert, parade, or a large-scale stadium event like the Superbowl—comes with unique challenges that test the limits of both emergency response teams and the technology they use. The stakes are high, requiring careful coordination, proactive planning, and quick decision-making, all while managing the safety of thousands––if not millions––of attendees.

With the emergence of Next Generation 911 (NG911) technology, these challenges can be tackled more effectively than ever before. From integrating Geographic Information System (GIS) data to facilitating real-time communication across multiple agencies, NG911 is transforming how emergency response teams operate during high-stakes live events. This blog post will discuss common challenges and strategies for building effective emergency response plans, drawing from real-world examples like the Superbowl LVII and the Waste Management Phoenix Open in 2023.
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The Challenges of Emergency Response at Live Events

Large-scale events are notorious for posing complex and varied emergency response challenges, from managing large crowds to ensuring that communication systems are in sync.  

Some of the primary challenges emergency responders face include:

1. Communication Breakdown: Ensuring smooth communication between emergency teams can be difficult during chaotic live events. The massive amount of information exchanged across disciplines—police, fire, medical services, and even federal agencies—can lead to communication bottlenecks or miscommunication. The sheer noise and data influx during events can result in delayed or inaccurate responses.

2. Situational Awareness: Live events move fast, and emergency responders need real-time updates to stay informed about the situation as it unfolds. With crowds spread over vast areas, staying on top of incidents and ensuring rapid response can become overwhelming, especially when relying on outdated or manual systems.

3. Crowd Management: Dense crowds can delay emergency response teams from reaching incidents quickly. Managing traffic flow, ensuring the safety of the crowd, and responding to emergencies in a timely manner requires careful planning and coordination.

4. Resource Allocation: Live events require specialized resources. The challenge lies in anticipating the necessary resources, deploying them efficiently, and ensuring there are no shortages or surplus of critical resources.

5. Data Integration: Emergency teams often rely on multiple data sources, such as 911 calls, video feeds, and GIS maps. Integrating these streams into a single platform in real-time is difficult, particularly when different agencies are using disparate systems.

6. Coordination Across Agencies: Events like the Superbowl require collaboration across various local, state, and sometimes federal agencies. Coordinating these responses, ensuring everyone is aligned, and avoiding protocol clashes can be complex, especially when jurisdictional boundaries overlap.
   

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Overcoming Challenges with NG911 Solutions

NG911 technology can change emergency response for live events by providing new tools and platforms that facilitate better communication, situational awareness, and resource management.  
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Here’s how NG911 technology empowers emergency response teams to overcome the most pressing challenges:
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1. Unified Communications: Advanced NG911 platforms integrate communication tools that work across jurisdictions. This allows all emergency responders to be on the same page by eliminating information bottlenecks and ensuring all parties have access to real-time updates. With everyone accessing the same data, confusion is reduced, and responses are faster.

2. Real-Time Situational Awareness: Emergency response teams can use NG911 tools to monitor live video feeds, crowd movements, and geospatial data. GIS-enabled digital mapping systems have the ability to track the precise location of incidents, responders, and critical resources in real-time. In the case study below about the Superbowl LVII, you’ll see how  RapidDeploy integrated maps of the stadium and its surroundings, providing visibility into 911 activity and allowing responders to react more swiftly.

3. Crowd and Resource Management: One of the lessons learned from the Superbowl LVII was the effectiveness of using GIS and detailed indoor maps to manage large-scale events. Integrating live crowd data with 911 calls allowed emergency responders to adjust their strategies dynamically. Real-time maps showing the movement of people and vehicles enabled more effective crowd control, while ensuring medical tents and security personnel were deployed efficiently.

4. Data Integration: Emergency response is made more effective by integrating various data streams into one centralized system. RapidDeploy’s use of Radius Mapping at the Superbowl LVII and the Waste Management Open allowed responders to access 911 call data, CCTV video feeds, and indoor maps in a single platform. This gave responders a comprehensive, real-time view of the situation, enabling them to make informed decisions quickly.

5. Cross-Agency Coordination: During live events, agencies from different jurisdictions need to work together seamlessly. At the Superbowl, RapidDeploy’s NG911 platform allowed police departments across Arizona—from Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, Glendale, Phoenix, and other agencies—to collaborate effectively. The system provided an expanded view of 911 activities, allowing call takers and emergency operations centers to coordinate responses across agencies efficiently.
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Case Study Spotlight: Superbowl LVII and Waste Management Open

A prime example of overcoming common challenges faced during live events was the successful deployment of NG911 during two major events in Arizona in 2023; the Superbowl LVII and the Waste Management Open..To prepare for these events, The State of Arizona partnered with  RapidDeploy to create an emergency response system that brought together multiple agencies and integrated various sources of data into one platform. This system provided emergency teams with real-time situational awareness and allowed them to visualize incoming 911 calls plotted on detailed stadium floor plans.

What made this response unique was the use of critical GIS and indoor floor plans for the Superbowl, which were prepared in less than two weeks. The maps were used to monitor 911 activity and to support tactical call takers and real-time crime centers. By leveraging advanced mapping and communication technologies, the response teams managed large crowds effectively and ensured the safety of all participants.

For the Waste Management Open, where over 500,000 attendees spread out across the TPC Scottsdale Stadium Golf Course, NG911 tools enabled the deployment of more than 200 additional officers, many of whom were not familiar with the location. By ensuring all responders had access to real-time maps and data, emergency teams were able to coordinate their response effectively.
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Best Practices for Future Events

Building an effective emergency response plan for live events is not only about technology; it also involves proactive planning, interagency coordination, and ongoing training.  

Here are a few best practices learned from recent events:

• Start Planning Early: While NG911 tools can be deployed quickly––as demonstrated during the Superbowl––having a detailed emergency response plan in place well before the event is essential.

• Conduct Drills and Training: Response teams need to be trained on new technology and standard operating procedures. Regular drills can help teams prepare for various scenarios.

• Use Unified Maps: Ensuring all agencies are working off the same event maps can help to reduce confusion and enable quicker response times.

• Leverage Real-Time Data: Use live data streams, including CCTV feeds, geospatial data, and 911 call data, to maintain situational awareness throughout the event.
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Response Teams for Live Events Can Handle Any Situations

The challenges of managing emergency response for live events are immense, but with the right technology and preparation, they can be mitigated. NG911 tools, like those used at the Superbowl LVII and the Waste Management Open, are reshaping how public safety agencies approach these high-stakes scenarios. By integrating real-time data, facilitating unified communication, and ensuring seamless coordination across agencies, emergency response teams are better equipped to handle any situation that arises.

During a recent session at the APCO 2024 Conference, RapidDeploy and Arizona’s emergency management teams discussed how they prepared for a week of massive events across Scottsdale and Glendale. Watch the full session here to hear about the innovative solutions that helped manage these massive events and learn how to apply these best practices to your own emergency response plans.

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