Marathon and endurance event officials from across the country will converge on Dec. 12-14 in Biloxi, Miss. for the National Marathon Safety and Security Summit, hosted by The University of Southern Mississippi’s National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4).
“The unique aspect of this year's summit will be the integration of a ‘live event’ into the enhancement of the 3rd edition of the national marathon safety and security best practices,” said Dr. Lou Marciani, director of NCS4. “We are proud to partner with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon (the day prior to our Summit on December 11) to look at what safety and security lessons can be learned from the recent event and that information back to our Summit attendees.”
Attendees will include event administrators and staff (representing marathons, half marathons, 10K, 5K, and endurance events), local/state law enforcement, government officials, emergency managers, fire/hazMat and emergency medical/health services, city planners, governing bodies, and sport commissions.
The Summit, to be held at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Miss., will bring together the top thought leaders in the country in an effort to focus on their critical safety and security challenges by developing/enhancing best practices.
In addition to keynote speakers, panel presentations, and networking opportunities, attendees will have participate in moderated discussions (round robin format) for designated issues within the following areas:
- Event Day Planning
- Crowd Dynamics/Management
- Emergency Action Planning
- Risk and Threat Assessment
- Staff Development and Performance
- Technology Use/Information Management
“The Summit enables us to talk about how we put on our events and how we can better connect and understand how to build those relationships with city agencies, which are critical to providing a safe and secure event,” said Mike Nishi, SVP/General Manager of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
Marathon Advisory Committee members providing assistance and guidance for the Summit include: Virginia Brophy Achman, Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon; George Banker, Army ten-Miler; John Bertsch, Ironman World Championships; George Chiampas, Bank of America Chicago Marathon; Lloyd Crowe, USATF; Stacy Embretson, Los Angeles Marathon;Doug Flannery, Boston Athletic Association; Steve Georgas; Bank of America Chicago Marathon; Rich Harshbarger, Running USA; Brian Lyons, go! Saint Louis; Dr. Lou Marciani, NCS4; Patrice Matamoros, Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon; Kyle McLaughlin, TCS New York City Marathon; Ted Metellus, Competitor Group; Wade Morehead, Chevron Houston Marathon; Josh Nemzer, Nemzer Event Management, LLC;Mike Nishi; Bank of America Chicago Marathon; Doug Thurston, Big Sur International Marathon; and Dr. Stu Weiss, TCS New York City Marathon.
Pricing to attend the Summit is $299 per person. Limited seating available. Reserve your spot today at https://www.ncs4.com/marathon.
