EMERGENCY MEDICAL PLANNING FOR THE
2000 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION
C. Crawford Mechem, MD, Steven Hare, BS, EMT-P, Robert Hvisdas, MSN, RN,
David M. Berg, MBA, Ralph Halper, EMT-P, Leonard A. Cola, EMT-P
ings.4 However, in Pennsylvania, the minimum
amount of medical coverage required for an event of a
ABSTRACT
Planning for emergency medical services (EMS) coverage
for the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadel-
phia was a complex process that involved the cooperation of
municipal, state, and federal agencies as well as local hospi-
tals. The medical needs of the delegates, members of the
media, and support personnel at the convention venue had
to be met. Contingency plans for the possibility of large,
organized political protests and associated injuries had to be
developed. Steps had to be taken to ensure the safety of
emergency personnel who may have to respond to such inci-
dents. Because of the heightened threat of terrorist attacks
on civilian populations in recent years, specialized training
and material to respond to such incidents were required.
The important role that local hospitals may play in provid-
ing care to victims of a large, multicasualty incident, espe-
cially one involving weapons of mass destruction, was rec-
ognized. Therefore, steps were taken to increase the aware-
ness of hospital staff to patient decontamination and isola-
tion techniques as well as specific therapies for the chemical,
biological, and radioactive agents that terrorists might use.
Finally, despite the focus placed on the convention, the day-
to-day emergency medical needs of the citizens of Philadel-
phia had to be met. Through careful planning, flexibility,
and cooperation, it was possible to successfully address all
of these issues. Key words: emergency medical services;
disaster planning; politics; Republican National Convention.
given crowd size is specified by state code.5 A licensed
ambulance must be stationed on site whenever there is
a crowd of 5,000 to 25,000. Two ambulances must be
present for crowds between 25,000 and 55,000, and
three or more ambulances for larger crowds. There
must also be a licensed physician directing the event’s
medical coverage whenever the anticipated or actual
crowd size exceeds 25,000. However, depending on
the nature of the event, the age and composition of the
crowd, and the anticipated weather, this coverage
may need to be augmented.6
Political conventions present unique challenges for
EMS planners.7 These can be high-profile events that
are the focus of extensive local, national, and even
international media coverage. In addition, a large
number of politicians and supporters may be in atten-
dance, requiring elaborate security plans. The latter
can be at odds with standard operating procedures for
emergency medical responders. Furthermore, prepa-
rations for such events can involve a multitude of
local, state, and federal agencies. Therefore, open lines
of communication and interagency cooperation are
mandatory to ensure a smooth operation. All of these
points are illustrated in the preparations for the recent
Republican National Convention in Philadelphia.
The 2000 Republican National Convention (RNC)
was held at the First Union Center in Philadelphia
from July 31 to August 3, 2000. The City of
Philadelphia’s plans for medical coverage of the event
can be broken down into five components. First, the
medical needs of the delegates, their guests, support
staff, law enforcement and security personnel, and
members of the media had to be addressed. Because
the venue was occupied and active during all hours of
the four-day period, medical coverage had to be avail-
able around the clock. In addition to the convention
activities held in the First Union Center, there was a
large number of other convention-related business
and social functions in the city throughout the week.
Medical coverage had to be arranged for some of the
larger events. Second, as was the case with the 1999
World Trade Organization conference in Seattle and
the 2000 spring meetings of the International
Monetary Fund in Washington, DC, the Republican
National Convention was the target of organized
protest groups. The City of Philadelphia therefore had
to anticipate the medical needs of potentially large
PREHOSPITAL EMERGENCY CARE 2001;5:344–352
The provision of emergency medical services (EMS)
coverage for mass gatherings is challenging and there-
fore requires careful planning. While recommenda-
tions and guidelines are readily available,1–3 each
event has its own dynamics. Therefore, preparations
need to be tailored accordingly. Few states set forth
standards for medical care provided at mass gather-
Received December 27, 2000, from the Philadelphia Fire
Department (CCM, SH, RH, LAC), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; the
Department of Emergency Medicine, Hospital of the University of
Pennsylvania (CCM, RH), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and the
Emergency Management Strategic Healthcare Group, Department
of Veterans Affairs (DMB), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Revision
received April 10, 2001; accepted for publication April 12, 2001.
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the
view of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States
government.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: C. Crawford
Mechem, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, Hospital of the
University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA
19104-4283. e-mail: <mechemc@mail.med.upenn.edu>.
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