I appear to be in the “Depression” stage of the Kubler-Ross Grief Model when it comes to the cancellation of the Fire Department Instructor’s Conference. My calendar still shows a flight to Indianapolis on Tuesday and a Saturday return. I always return refreshed, inspired and invigorated. There are long-term conference and trade-show implications in the aftermath of the international disruption created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Large Events Were COVID-19 Vectors

Robert McGarvey is a journalist that often writes about business travel. He thinks that we will NOT see any large gatherings in Fall 2020. He references a post from the Skrift event manager’s blog:

… research uncovered how large events are at the core of how the virus spread. The Atalanta-Valencia soccer match, the Cologne Carnival. In the U.S., Mardi Gras in New Orleans and the whole of spring break in Florida are currently viewed as super-spreading events.

Masses of people in prolonged contact seem to be the obvious conduits for the virus’ spread.  (Solaris)

McGarvey says that it will take a COVID-19 vaccine to reduce the fear of attending a convention or conference.

When a vaccine is commercially viable, most fears will vanish – and good times will return for conventions and conferences. … But there also is plenty of reason not to want to see us rush into risky situations. Social distancing seems to be working, crowds in some cases seem to be deadly, and when my life is on the line I am skipping the conference. It’s the prudent choice, at least until a vaccine removes most of our fears.

We Still Want To Meet

A survey by APCO Insight indicates that American workers – particularly those who attended in-person meetings and conventions before the pandemic – are eager to return to them when COVID-19 is contained and physical distancing policies are no longer needed.

• 78% say they will attend as many such events – or more – as they had been once the threat of coronavirus passes.

Is It Time To Change The Conference and Convention Model?

The current emergency service conference and convention model has not changed that much since FDIC introduced hands-on-training in 1992. I have experienced conferences as an attendee, presenter, organizer, and vendor. There is an ebb-and-flow of attendance, revenue, and industry impact.

The conference and convention business is funded by industry-based vendors. The revenue from the vendors buying exhibit space or sponsoring an event or venue pays for most of the expenses in running a conference. It is important to meet the vendor’s expectations.

For example, a conference venue where the attendees are enjoying the local attractions while the exhibit floor is empty is poor form. This may cause exhibitors not to sign up for next year’s show.

The nuts-and-bolts of the conference and convention business is dependent on hundreds of small businesses and independent contractors. Many of them will not survive the 2020 shutdown. Their replacements may lack the institutional knowledge and experience – as anyone who has needed to “break-in” an eager but inexperienced vendor can attest to.

Kevin Zumwalt explained a challenge the University of Missouri Fire and Rescue Institute had with a new coffee service vendor for the Winter Fire School. The metrics that the vendor used to serve other university functions do not work for firefighter students.

In order to have enough coffee for the attendees, Zumwalt told the vendor to double the amount of coffee they thought they needed. (If only other venues followed this …)

What a Post COVID-19 Conference May Look Like

Business event leaders recommend considering:

• Increased use of digital – webinars and virtual events
• Local events that do not exceed size restrictions established by local officials (groups no larger than 10, 25, 40, 100 or ??).
• Shorter duration events
• Venue locations that do not require travel that triggers a self-quarantine
• Consider linking local events together for a national experience – I am not sure the passion of a Bobby Halton keynote will be as impactful when watching it on a big screen TV at a fire station versus the impact you get sitting in the big room
• More use of social media

The International Association of Fire Chief’s conneXions is an example of a select group of decision-makers and business partners meeting for 1-on-1 sessions.

Attending 19 national, regional and local fire training events from December 2017 through March 2019 while researching the 4th edition of Fire Officer provided a perspective on the rise of new, small, locally delivered conferences.

Some of those new programs I attended are struggling after the excitement of the new wore off. It is more difficult to prepare and deliver the second-or third-year of a conference. The costs exceed the revenues, even with donated services.

If we do not have a COVID-19 vaccine by early 2021, will you be willing to hang out with 35,000 of your sisters and brothers in Indianapolis next April? I am not sure.

+++++++++++++++++++

Gregory, C. (2019 April 11) The Five Stages of Grief: An Examination of the Kubler-Ross Model. Psycom.net. Accessed April 19, 2020: https://www.psycom.net/depression.central.grief.html

McGarvey, R. (2020 April 9) No Events for You or Me in 2020. McGarvey’s Words: Journalist … Podcast … Speaker.  Accessed April 19, 2020: http://www.mcgarvey.net/2020/04/09/no-events-for-you-or-me-in-2020/ 

Solaris, J. (2020 April 16) New Research Hints At a New Normal for The Event Industry. EventManagerBlog.com.  Accessed April 19, 2002: https://www.eventmanagerblog.com/coronavirus-new-normal 

Snow, A. (2020 April 6) Virus Puts Event Planning Industry on Brink of Devastation: The events industry, which exists to bring people together, has been hit particularly hard by fallout from the coronavirus. Associated Press. Accessed April 19, 2020: https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2020-04-06/virus-puts-event-planning-industry-on-brink-of-devastation

Gose, J. (2020 April 14) Plunge in Convention Hotel Travel Puts Municipal Bonds at Risk:
The industry can withstand a downturn of a month or two, experts say, but a longer delay could hamper financing for projects in development. The New York Times. Accessed April 19, 2020: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/14/business/convention-hotels-municipal-bonds-coronavirus.html  

Business Wire (2020 April 13) 83% of Americans Working From Home Due to COVID-19 Say They Miss In-person Meetings and Conventions. MarTechSeries. Accessed April 19, 2020: https://martechseries.com/analytics/audience-data/83-americans-working-home-due-covid-19-say-miss-person-meetings-conventions/

McGarvey, R. (2020 April 15) Are You Itching to Schedule New Events and Conferences? McGarvey’s Words: Journalist … Podcast … Speaker.  Accessed April 19, 2020: http://www.mcgarvey.net/2020/04/09/no-events-for-you-or-me-in-2020/ 

Ward, M. J. (2019 March 11) Skill Drills That Do Not Stink: the Power of Authentic Learning in the Fire Station. CompanyCommander.com. Accessed April 19, 2020:  http://companycommander.com/2019/03/11/skill-drills-that-do-not-stink-the-power-of-authentic-learning-in-the-fire-station/ 

Ward, M. J. (2020 January 6) How the 4th edition of Fire Officer: Principles and Practice was built – it took a lot of people. CompanyCommander.com. Accessed April 19, 2020:  http://companycommander.com/2020/01/06/how-the-4th-edition-of-fire-officer-principles-and-practice-was-built-it-took-a-lot-of-people/

Featured Image: FDIC logo at the Georgia Street cube/S. Capital Ave.  – Indianapolis Convention Center. Photo by author