KnowEMS | Massgathering events: webinar highlights experiences and lessons

The event was attended by several speakers from various European emergency medical services. 

• Ivo Cardoso from INEM Portugal, who addressed the Portuguese case of World Youth Day 2023; 
• Daniel Muñoz Rodríguez from SAMUR Madrid, who shared the medical organization at the Madrid Pride Parade;
•  Catherine Bertrand from SFMC France, who discussed the preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games; 
• Gijs Geert from the World Health Organization (WHO), who presented a model for the medical planning of large-scale events.

During the webinar, several important topics and lessons learned were discussed and analyzed:

• World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon -INEM presented its response to the event, which included a detailed risk analysis and the organization of three levels of medical response. The first analysis focused on the needs and resources of the emergency services, with 1.5 million pilgrims expected to attend. The main lessons learned included the importance of planning, articulation and integration with other organizations, training first responders and logistical planning. The most common incidence was minor trauma, dehydration, abdominal pain and panic/anxiety disorders.

   

• Madrid Pride Parade - SAMUR Madrid shared its experience in organizing the Pride Parade, which brings together around 2 million people every year. The risk assessment identified various levels of risk, including overcrowding and drug abuse. The key to success was continuous evolution and the ability to innovate and adapt.

• Paris 2024 Olympic Games - Preparing for the Olympic Games was identified as a major challenge, with an emphasis on the need to be prepared for unforeseen events.The main challenges included climate aspects, security, cyber-attacks and crowd movements.Cooperation between services was highlighted as essential.

• WHO Model for Major Events - The WHO identified a gap in medical planning for major events and suggested a model based on the Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) methodology. Preparation and standardization were highlighted as crucial to success.

The webinar was recorded and is available to view via the consortium's YouTube channel.