Holiday parades are an important annual tradition for many municipalities. A parade is a fun event to bring the community together, but it also comes with liability risks that organizers have to proactively manage.
Municipalities need to consider numerous best practices when planning a parade.
Begin the planning process early.
- Identify staging and assembly areas for participants.
- Determine where traffic barriers and street closings are needed.
- Coordinate with public works, emergency services and other stakeholders.
Determine who is in charge.
- Is the event sponsored by the city or another entity?
- Appoint a parade coordinator to oversee planning and operations.
Develop a parade policy.
- Outline guidelines, safety requirements and event rules.
- Communicate the parade policy to all participants, vendors and volunteers before the event.
Determine insurance requirements.
- Obtain certificates of insurance from vendors, businesses and other participating organizations.
- Municipalities should be added as additional insureds when applicable.
- Request hold harmless agreements when appropriate.
- Direct third parties to GatherGuard(opens in a new tab) for insurance coverage.
- Review insurance coverage contracts carefully for any liability exclusions or coverage limitations.
Develop a comprehensive safety plan.
- Include a parade checklist which addresses common hazards and safety concerns.
- Plan for medical and first aid needs.
- Determine emergency access and exit points.
- Ensure staff and volunteers understand emergency procedures.
Take into consideration any potential weather-related risks and exposures that can occur.
- Address slip hazards caused by rain, ice or other wet conditions.
- Identify shelter locations if lightning or severe weather occurs.
Involve law enforcement to assist with different aspects.
- Assist with crowd management and pedestrian safety.
- Direct traffic and maintain road closures.
Complete walkthroughs to identify potential hazards
- Look for loose wires, uneven payment, potholes or other tripping hazards.
- Identify obstacles that may affect parade participants, spectators or vehicles.
- Document and correct hazards whenever possible.
Develop procedures for reporting injuries, accidents, and property damage.
- Train staff and volunteers on incident documentation requirements.
- Maintain records, photographs, witness information and other relevant documentation in the event a claim is filed in the future.
- Conduct a post-event review of injuries, or damage to identify lessons learned and improve safety planning for future events.
For more information on managing parade risks, log in at www.masc.sc(opens in a new tab) and see the Special Events Liability Toolkit(opens in a new tab), or email losscontol@masc.sc(opens in a new tab).