Introduction
Crowd disasters, such as stampedes or structural calamities, can be devastating, causing loss of life and property. The recent tragic events in Seoul, South Korea, and Morbi, Gujarat demonstrate the need for effective crowd management strategies. In India, this task falls under the mandate of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), established by the Disaster Management Act 2005. The NDMA issues guidelines on handling disasters that periodically affect people’s regular lives and well-being.
Understanding Crowd Management
Crowd management is a systematic approach to planning and overseeing the organized movement and congregation of people. It involves assessing the capacity of a space to handle a certain number of people. This includes reviewing projected levels of occupancy, evaluating the adequacy of entrance and exit points, analyzing processing procedures, like ticket collection, and forecasting expected types of activities and group behavior.
Fundamental Causes of Crowd Disasters or Stampedes
The key factors contributing to crowd disasters or stampedes include structural failures, electric/fire disasters, crowd behavior, inadequate security, and lack of interagency coordination.
Structural failures can involve the collapse of temporary facilities, vertical stairs, or narrow buildings due to illegal structures, hawkers, and parking. Electric/fire disasters often result from the improper use of firecrackers or faulty wiring in makeshift kitchens during celebrations or electricity supply failure that can cause panic and trigger mass exodus.
Crowd behavior also plays a significant role. A sudden rush for celebrity autographs or rumors can cause mass panic. Individuals require at least one square yard of space each to control their movements. Most deaths in crowds occur from asphyxiation, not trampling. When humans are compressed for 30 seconds, they can lose consciousness and could potentially succumb to brain death within six minutes.
Inadequate security, such as shooting tear gas due to insufficient safety teams, can exacerbate the situation. Equally important is the coordination among administrative agencies, like fire services, police forces, and shrine management, which is often found lacking.
NDMA Guidelines on Crowd Management
The NDMA has prescribed guidelines to avert crowd disasters. The initial step is to regulate traffic in the vicinity of event venues. For pedestrians, route maps to the venue and emergency exits should be displayed at strategic locations. Organizers must establish barricades to ensure controlled movement of people.
CCTV cameras are to be used to monitor crowds, and police presence should be increased to deter petty crimes. Preparations for medical emergencies should include an ambulance and healthcare professionals on stand-by.
Revelers should be encouraged to familiarize themselves with exit routes, remain calm, and follow instructions to prevent stampedes. If a stampede does break out, people should protect their chests by placing hands like a boxer and continue moving with the crowd.
Organizers should also ensure that electrical connections, fire safety measures, and other arrangements meet safety guidelines. Providing a list of nearby hospitals could prove beneficial. Revelers are advised to wear light, cotton clothes and know basic survival tips like rolling on the ground to douse a fire.
The Role of Public and Government
In today’s world, effective crowd management should be a top priority, especially in highly populated countries like India. Many catastrophes involving large crowds occur due to human error. By planning and implementing proactive measures, these disasters can be avoided.
It is vital to learn from past errors and continuously analyze crowd disaster incidents. While the government’s role in leading the way is undeniable, the general public also plays a significant part in preventing such disasters. It is incumbent on everyone in society to take collective responsibility and adopt suggested safety measures to ensure their own and others’ safety.
