COVID-19 Event Guidelines

COVID-19 Special Event Safety Plan

Fire-Rescue - Division of Emergency Management

Event organizers are required to submit a COVID-19 Special Event Safety Plan when applying for a Special Event permit within the City of Miami. 

All event organizers will follow all applicable federal, state, county, and local Emergency Orders and will follow the  procedures found in the Miami-Dade New Normal Guide, as amended. 

All event organizers must create a COVID-19 Special Event Safety Plan (“plan”) that satisfies each category below and includes the following minimum requirements: 

SCREENING OF STAFF AND ATTENDEES 

·      The plan must provide for the education of staff and attendees to ensure they know that they should not come to the event if they become sick with COVID-19 symptoms, test positive for COVID-19, or have been exposed to someone with symptoms or someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

·      The plan must require staff and attendees to self-report to the event organizer if they have symptoms of COVID-19, a positive test for COVID-19, or were exposed to someone with COVID-19 within the last 14 days.

·      The plan must require daily health checks (e.g., temperature screening and/or symptom checking) of staff and attendees.

·      The plan must identify and create an isolation room or area to separate anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms or who has tested positive but does not have symptoms. Such persons must be removed from the event immediately and arrangements should be made to allow that person to go home.

·      The plan must ensure that any event staff or attendees who present to the event experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 or thermometer reading that reveals a temperature of ≥ 100.4 °F (38°C), should be denied access to the event. 

FACIAL COVERINGS 

Facial coverings must be worn by all persons in attendance and event staff.  The event organizer is responsible for communicating the importance of wearing facial coverings to both staff and attendees. Cloth face coverings are not required for: 

·      Children younger than 2 years old;

·      Anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious; or

·      Anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cover without help

SOCIAL DISTANCING

The plan must detail social distancing measures before, during, and after the event (e.g., limiting attendance and modifying layouts before the event, providing physical barriers during the event, and staggering exit times after the event). In that regard, the following information must be submitted with the plan: 

·      The event organizer must provide a site map with dimensions that allows for the ability to determine the total event square footage and the location and dimensions of all entrances, exits, booths, stages, activities, facilities, bathrooms, and/or vendors will be, including queue areas at which gatherings or lines might be expected to form.

·      The event organizer must include the maximum number of attendees (excluding staff) that will be allowed into the event based on the event square footage to ensure social distancing of all attendees. Note: The number of maximum attendees is subject to approval by the City and no more attendees than may socially distance within the area(s) of the event will be allowed.

·      The plan must describe how this will be managed by the event organizer to maintain attendance to the event within approved limit. 

CROWD CONTROL

The plan shall:

·      Describe how activities, including arrival and departure from the event, will be managed in compliance with the face covering and social distance measures.

·      Create physical guides, such as tape on floors when feasible and signs on walls to promote social distancing requirements.

·      Create and install physical barriers, such as sneeze guards and partitions, in areas where it is difficult for individuals to remain at least 6 feet apart.

·      Develop a plan to eliminate lines or queues if possible or require people to stay at least 6 feet apart by providing signs or other visual cues, such as tape or chalk marks when feasible, in areas where congregation will occur, such as entrances, exits, food lines, and restrooms if a 6-foot distance between attendees is difficult to ensure.

·      Develop a plan to change seating layout or availability of seating or block-off rows or sections so that attendees can stay at least 6 feet apart.

COMMUNICATIONS

The event organizer will ensure signs and communications (e.g., audio or video) in place and in alternative formats (e.g., large print posters, braille, American Sign Language) for people who have limited vision or are blind or people who are deaf or hard of hearing are readily available.

·      The plan must ensure that signs must be posted at all entry points the entrances to all bathroom facilities that reflect the requirements for mandatory face masks, social distancing, and advising those that are sick to stay home. Note: Signs must not be smaller than 11’ X 17”.

·      The plan must describe how other signs/communications will be placed throughout the event that discourages attendees from gathering in any one area of the event and encourages attendees to remain at least 6 feet from others when moving through the event.

·      The plan must describe how the event organizer will ensure communication with event staff and attendees know what their responsibilities are.

·      The plan must describe how the event organizer will communicate with partner organizations such as vendors to ensure that they are aware of all your COVID-19 safety protocols. 

SANITATION AND DISINFECTION REQUIREMENTS 

The event organizer must ensure that an adequately sanitary event is delivered and ensure that event staff will thoroughly and frequently clean/disinfect all frequent touch points within the event:

·      The plan must ensure that adequate supplies are available to minimize sharing of high-touch materials and monitor cleaning and disinfecting between use.

·      The plan must include a schedule for routine cleaning and disinfection throughout all areas of the event. Identify what staff or contractor is responsible for this cleaning and disinfection.

·      The plan must ensure that the event organizer will close shared spaces (e.g., a lounge); otherwise develop a plan for staggered use of these spaces and cleaning and disinfecting.

·      A regular cleaning routine should be in place for all areas of the event.

ENFORCEMENT

The event organizer will develop a clearly defined protocol to ensure adherence to social distancing, face coverings, and sanitation measures by all staff and event attendees.

·      The plan must describe what steps will be taken if individuals or groups do not comply with approved protocols.

·      The event organizer must identify the person(s) at the event responsible for monitoring and ensuring procedures and measures identified in the event’s plan are implemented and followed during the event. This person will be designated as the “COVID-19 Special Event Safety Manager.”

·      The event organizer shall provide the contact information for the COVID-19 Special Event Safety Manager at which he/she may be reached within 15 minutes during the event and two hours prior to the start of the event.

·      The event organizer will describe measures they will implement to ensure that all businesses, organizations, suppliers, and/or vendors involved in the event are aware of and will comply with social distancing, face covering, and sanitation measures. At a minimum this must include a signed statement of commitment from all contractors and sub-contractors that they are governed by and will comply with the event COVID-19 Event Safety Plan. 

If the event is not compliance with the submitted and approved COVID-19 Special Event Plan and applicable requirements in the above-mentioned emergency orders and New Normal Guide, the City may require the event to immediately close and cease operations.