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Global crowd management leaders unite to form alliance

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December 1, 2021

In the face of a mass exodus of experienced workers during the pandemic, new international event safety body the Global Crowd Management Alliance (GCMA) has been launched by a group of crowd managers, organisations, businesses, academics, and individuals with a shared interest in safety from around the Word

The initiative, spearheaded by the United Kingdom Crowd Management Association (UKCMA), the Event Safety Alliance (ESA) and Event Safety Alliance Canada (ESAC) has board members from Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and the USA, and a list of supporters and advocates from more than 15 countries on five continents.

The founders of the GCMA said it is a not-for-profit organisation launched to promote responsible crowd management and crowd safety practices worldwide. The aim is to create a globally recognised body of knowledge for professional crowd managers.

The Alliance said it will create and deliver learning opportunities for crowd management practitioners at all experience levels, in all geographic locations, and regardless of financial means.

GCMA chair Eric Stuart, who also chairs the United Kingdom Crowd Management Association (UKCMA) said, “I am delighted to have been elected by the founding committee of the Global Crowd Management Alliance to serve as its first Chair. This organisation will enable us to expand the opportunities for sharing knowledge and experience that will help keep people safe. While crowd plans are sometimes complex and need specialist knowledge, basic safety principles can be applied to many locations where crowds gather, and those principles can often be learnt and implemented at little cost. Most importantly, we should never forget that crowds are made up of people who expect to enjoy a pleasant day or evening out, then return home safely. Good crowd management can help achieve that simple, fundamental goal.”

GCMA deputy chair and Event Safety Alliance (US) VP Steve Adelman, said the launch of the organisation was timely:  “During the Covid-19 pandemic, many event professionals have, quite logically, focused on infection mitigation measures so events and venues can reopen safely. But crowds require much more than vaccine passports and face coverings. From catastrophic occurrences like armed attackers to more routine risks such as overcrowding, trip hazards, and inadequate wayfinding signage, crowd management remains an essential issue for everyone involved with live events. I am thrilled that the Global Crowd Management Alliance has assembled subject matter experts from around the world who work with these issues every day, and who are prepared to lead and teach others to host safe post-pandemic events.”

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