Preparedness for mass gatherings : Planning elements identified through the Delphi process

Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s)Background: Mass gatherings create a need for careful pre-planning and preparedness due to their impact on authorities' resources and potential delays in response for emergencies. The aim of this study was to investigate all aspects of preparedness for mass gatherings from a multi-sector expert board's point of view. Method: Delphi-process was carried out involving experts from rescue service, emergency medical services, event organizers and on-site medical care providers. The Delphi questionnaire for Round 1 was based on previous research. The criterion for consensus was set at minimum 80% agreement in any of the three categories: important, neutral, and not important. Mean values were calculated using a five-point Likert scale. New claims were constructed from the results of open-ended questions. Results: The expert board found consensus in 50 out of 55 claims. Consensus percentages ranged from 100% to 53% and the mean values from 4.96 to 3.29 after the final, Round 3. Based on the results, authorities need to prepare for mass gatherings with additional operative resources. However, the focus of their preparedness should be outside of the event area itself. Regarding on-site medical care, in the largest and high-risk mass gatherings medical care should be provided by professionals rather than by volunteer based service. Conclusion: The multi-sector expert board found consensus on the majority of claims regarding preparedness for mass gatherings. The results of this study can be utilized in harmonization of practices and operative resources planning. Predicting authorities’ workload requires further research in order to enable more accurate resource deployment.Peer reviewe