Having the proper type, size, and amount of fire extinguishers at your event or festival is of the utmost importance for maintaining proper fire safety.  This article will discuss the types of fire extinguishers you’ll need given what sort of materials you have at your event, as well as how many you should have, and how to best use the fire extinguisher.   

Remember that if you purchase a fire extinguisher, it will need to be inspected every year.   Every fire extinguisher should have a tag on it, like the one to the left, that shows the day and month it was last inspected (note – it does NOT indicate the expiration date; keep that in mind when scheduling your next inspection). These inspections are inexpensive – around $10 per unit – and imperative to keep the extinguisher properly pressurized and ready to work as designed. 

Local fire extinguisher rental / sales companies will also offer fire extinguisher training classes – in Austin, Longhorn Fire Safety offers training that averages out to $25 per student in groups of 10.  

First, we will look at the classes of fires and which ones you’ll be most likely to see:

Classes of Fires:

• Class A – the most likely type to occur at events and festivals – involves materials like paper, wood, rubber, or fabrics. 

  The best type of fire extinguisher for these kinds of fires is an ABC dry chemical based extinguisher.

• Class B – involves flammable liquids like gas, oil, paint and flammable gasses.  If your event has any pyro, cryo, or anything involving tanks of gas, you will need to protect yourself against this type of potential fire.

  The best type of fire extinguisher for these kinds of fires is an ABC dry chemical extinguisher, but a CO2 / chemical based extinguisher could also be beneficial here.

• Class C – involves live electrical equipment (generators, transformers, lighting gear, audio gear, etc)

  The best type of fire extinguisher for these kinds of fires is an ABC dry chemical based extinguisher. 

• Class D – involves combustible metals like sodium or lithium.   Events and festivals won’t likely see any fires from this class, but if so, salt-based chemicals will be needed to extinguish them.

• Class K – involve fires in cooking ovens and other cooking appliances which involve cooking related materials like vegetable oils or fats.   Class K fire extinguishers that include a low pH agent help prevent grease splash and fire flare ups while bringing the fire and heat under control.   Events and festivals with food vendors, catering, and/or other onsite food preparation will want to have Class K extinguishers on-hand.

Types of Fire Extinguishers

(photos and descriptions courtesy of Longhorn Fire Safety):

• Dry Chemical
  • ABC – use a monoammonium phosphate dry chemical to insulate Class A fires by melting and clinging to the heated surface, smother and break the chain reaction on Class B fires and are non-conductors of electricity. This is the type of extinguisher that must be present at all events and festivals.
  • BC – contain a siliconized sodium bicarbonate based dry chemical.  Suitable for combating flammable liquid and pressurized gas fires, these extinguishers are electrically non-conductive.  These types of extinguishers are not common in the event world as the vast majority of jurisdictions that oversee events and festivals require an ABC extinguisher.
  • Purple K – contain specially fluidized and siliconized potassium bicarbonate dry chemical, which is particularly effective on Class B flammable liquids and pressurized gases.   Note that these types of extinguishers are NOT effective against Class K fires.   Events and festivals will likely never need a Purple K extinguisher on-site.
• Pressure Water – non-toxic, ozone-friendly, ideal for Class A fires and common combustible materials such as trash, wood and paper.  These extinguishers are rarely found and are mostly outdated as ABC Extinguishers are much more efficient. 
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) – use a monoammonium phosphate dry chemical to insulate Class A fires by melting and clinging to the heated surface.  These are often on-hand when there is pyro as a way to treat anyone involved in a fire without using the more corrosive and less human friendly ABC dry chemcials.
• Class D Salt-Based – are designed for use on combustible metal fires. Fitted with a “soft-flow” extension applicator to keep operator away from extreme heat and toxic fumes caused by burning material.  These are rarely if ever used or needed for events and festivals.
• Class K Wet Chemical with a low pH agent – contain a special potassium acetate based, low PH agent developed for use with pre-engineered restaurant kitchen systems (included in NFPA 10). The recent trend to more efficient cooking appliances and use of unsaturated cooking oils dictates the use of hand portable fire extinguishers with greater fire fighting capacity and cooling effect.  These extinguishers will be needed for anyone cooking on-site at an event or festival (food vendors, etc). 

A Special Note about ABC Extinguishers and How They are Rated:

• When you pick up an ABC fire extinguisher, you will want to look at its rating, which will be combination of numbers and letters pertaining to the class of fire:
  • A Ratings have a number that indicates its dry chemical equivalent in gallons of water; a 1A rating equals the same as 1.25 gallons of water (so a 2A would be equivalent to 2.50 gallons of water, and so on)
  • B Ratings have a number that indicates the amount of square footage the fire extinguisher can handle; a 20BC ratings means it can handle up to 20 square feet of coverage (so a 40 BC would equal 40 square feet of coverage, and so on)
  • C Class does not have a rating; simply listing it along with the A and B ratings mean it is non-conductive and able to be used on electrical fires.
  • Often local jurisdictions will require a certain size of ABC fire extinguisher; common sizes are 5lb, 10lb, and 20lb.   This is so they can have the minimum ratings they require (so you may want to confirm with them what that is).
  • Generally speaking, the following correlations between weight and rating exist:
    • 2.5 lb – 1 A 10 BC  (generally not enough for events and festivals)
    • 5 lb –  3 A 40 BC (the minimum normally accepted at events and festivals) 
    • 10 lb – 4 A 80 BC   (suitable for stages and food vendors)
    • 20 lb – 20 A 120 BC  (only needed when required by local jurisdictions) 
      
      
      The rating for this fire extinguisher is 1A 10BC – as shown in the highlighted portion of the label. 

What Types and How Many Extinguishers Should be On-Hand:

The list below is merely a guide; final extinguisher placement and quantity should be determined in conjunction with the local fire marshal / authority that has jurisdiction at your event or festival’s location.

• Outdoor stage with no pyro
  • At least 1 ABC extinguisher – 5 pound minimum, preferably 2 of them – one on each side of the stage.   A good rule of thumb is one every 75 feet at a minimum, but because it may be difficult to reach the other side of the stage given how much gear and performers are on it, having one extinguisher on each side, even it it’s less that 75 feet wide, is ideal.  
• Outdoor stage with pyro
  • At least 2 ABC extinguishers – 10 pound minimum, and 2 CO2 extinguishers – consult with your local fire marshall as well as the pyro company as they will have a better understanding of the total coverage needs based on the amount and type of pyro being used.
• Indoor stage with no pyro
  • At least 2 ABC extinguishers – 5 pound minimum
• Indoor stage with pyro
  • At least 2 ABC extinguishers – 10 pound minimum, and 2 CO2 extinguishers.   Again, check with the local fire marshall and pyro company before confirming your fire extinguisher order. 
• Outdoor tents
  • At least 1 ABC extinguisher – 5 pound minimum – for each tent.   Check with your local fire marshall to find out what the minimum size tent is for requiring a fire extinguisher.   
• Within 30 feet of any oil based cooking equipment
  • At least 1 K extinguisher 
• Outside food vendors using propane
  • At least 1 K extinguisher and 1 ABC extinguisher – 5 pound minimum
• Outside food vendors using electric ovens
  • At least 1 K extinguisher and 1 ABC extinguisher – 5 pound minimum
• Areas where any combustible materials are stored
  • At least 1 ABC extinguisher and consider 1 CO2 extinguisher
• In vehicle repair / maintenance buildings
  • At least 1 ABC extinguisher for each working bay
• Next to any generators
  • 1 ABC extinguisher – minimum 2.5 lbs – the size will be dependent on the size of the generator.  

How to Use a Fire Extinguisher:

• PASS Method – courtesy of OSHA
  1. PULL… Pull the pin. This will also break the tamper seal.
  2. AIM… Aim low, pointing the extinguisher nozzle (or its horn or hose) at the base of the fire.

     NOTE: Do not touch the plastic discharge horn on CO2 extinguishers, it gets very cold and may damage skin.

  3. SQUEEZE… Squeeze the handle to release the extinguishing agent.
  4. SWEEP… Sweep from side to side at the base of the fire until it appears to be out. Watch the area. If the fire re-ignites, repeat steps 2 – 4.

Traveling outside our own country for work, especially as part of an event, tour, or festival, while very exciting, can also present some unique challenges when it comes to being able to use our own electrical gear.   Since countries can vary in their voltage, frequency, and outlet type, it’s important that you come prepared with the proper adapters to ensure you’ll get everything working without fear of frying your gear.   

The world runs of two sets of voltages – 110/125 V (e.g., North America) or 220/240 V (e.g, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Europe). In some cases, you’ll also need a voltage converter or transformer as well as an outlet adapter.  The label on your electrical device will inform you if it’s a single voltage (cannot accommodate the other voltage level – this would require a transformer),  dual voltage (can use 120 V or 240 V and does not require a transformer), or multi-voltage (able to use a range of voltages, like 100 V – 240 V – these also don’t require a transformer).  

A note about single voltage devices – electrical devices (such as mechanical motors) can use a transformer or a converter.   Electronic devices (such as electronic motors with chips or circuits) require a transformer. Many converters operate as both a converter and a transformer. Read more about these at REI’s informative website.

A note about voltage variances by country – if you are traveling to multiple countries in one continent, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the voltages and outlets will be similar.  Further, countries may change how they handle power at any time, so it’s always best to check multiple resources for the latest information, especially if you are planning to move there for work.   ElectricalOutlet.org is a fantastic resource that breaks down what’s available power-wise by country. 

Currently, there are 15 types of outlet styles in use worldwide (photos below courtesy of World Standards), each given a letter by the US Department of Commerce International Trade Association:

• Type A – USA, Canada Mexico & Japan
• Type B – USA, Canada, Mexico, & Japan
• Type C – Europe, South America, & Asia
• Type D – India
• Type E – France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic
• Type F – Europe & Russia except the UK and Ireland
• Type G – UK, Ireland, Malta, Malaysia, Singapore
• Type H – Israel, West Bank, Gaza Strip
• Type I – Australia, New Zealand, China, Argentina
• Type J – Switzerland Leichtenstein, Rwanda
• Type K – Denmark, Greenland
• Type L – Italy, Chile
• Type M – South Africa
• Type N – Brazil
• Type O – Thailand

In order to ensure you’ve got the proper adapter, you’ll want to match it to the country or countries you’re going to visit.   Some adapters, like the one shown here, can accommodate virtually all types (this one covers A, B, C, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L) eliminating the need for you to buy multiple adapters. You can find out more details or purchase it here.

If you’re bringing in high powered electric single voltage devices, here’s a 500 watt transformer that could work well.

For single voltage devices that don’t require a transformer, this 200 watt power converter with USB inputs may handle your needs. 

Want to read more about electricity? 

• Electricity Guide
• Demystifying Electrical Generators and Decibel Levels 
• How to Buy a Voltage Converter or Voltage Transformer

For those of us just starting out with a new event or festival concept, creating the best possible website should be one of the most important initial goals. A user-friendly, persuasive, exciting website can increase buzz about your event, ticket sales, and overall fan engagement.   Pairing this with a comprehensive social media strategy (read our article about that here) will all but ensure a strong online presence that should translate into real-world results. 

Depending on your budget, you can choose to build this website yourself, hire a web design firm to do it for you, or some combination therein.   Many new events will choose the former, often utilizing open source and free software such as WordPress, but electing to bring in the pros if they can’t quite get everything built the way they would like.  Wordpress is what FestivalandEventProduction.com is built from, utilizing a lot of custom code and plug-ins.  

That’s what this article will be focusing on – starting your event or festival website on your own, and what all that might entail.   We will also focus on using WordPress, since it has become one of the most popular ways to build a website thanks to its intuitive dashboard, responsive layouts (your website will automatically adjust to the best viewing experience based on the device – laptop, tablet, phone – you’re using), latest features like parallax scrolling, and constant updates and additions from the WP community.  

Do note that, with any software like this, there are security risks of having your login hacked – much like your email address – but so long as you take reasonable precautions like choosing a hard to guess password, and as long as your web hosting company offers daily backups in case you have to restore your website, you should be fine. 

• First off, you’ll need a domain name and a hosting account.   One of the more popular companies to purchase a domain name from is Godaddy.com – they have competitive rates (around $15 / year for a dot com domain name) and they also offer web hosting, WordPress installation, and many other add-ons. Full disclosure:  I own a web design and hosting company and can provide this service for you as well, for as little as $50 / year.   
• Secondly, you’ll want to browse the various web layout options available to you through WordPress.  Called Themes, many companies have built “free” and “paid” versions to entice you to try them, and then eventually pay them a fee, usually anywhere from $25 to $100, to unlock the full paid version of their theme. This works well as it allows you to test drive many themes before you have to commit and pay for one (and depending on your needs, you may be fine with keeping the free version). 

  Below is a grid of 12 various event and festival themes as examples, courtesy of ColorLib (click on the link to look into downloading / purchasing). 

  

• Third, you’ll want to look at what sort of features you’d like on your website, and then look to find the best one in WordPress – called Plug-Ins – and install / customize them. Examples of these include calendars, slideshows, glossaries, contact forms, and PDF makers.  

  Here are a couple of plug-in examples  – the Events Calendar (left) and Contact Form Builder (right) – you can click on the links for either to learn more. 

  
• Now that you have your desired theme and plug-ins, it’s time to create the content.   While WordPress is pretty easy to learn, especially if you’re familiar with programs like Microsoft Word, some specific elements may require coding that’s beyond your ability – if that’s the case, it’s time to get some quotes from WordPress developers (like these guys, based in Austin, as one example) to see how much it may cost for them to jump in and help out.  I’m always happy to give free quotes or point you in the right direction of someone that can help you better than I can.  
• Finally, when your website is ready for launch, you’ll want to coordinate the announcement with all of your social media platforms as well as email blasts, posting on message boards, posting on other event listing websites, and perhaps even a press release to local / national media. And you’ll always want to work to keep your website fresh and as updated as possible – the more the website is updated, the better it will do in search engine rankings.  That and having your top keywords in your title tags as well as having other websites link back to you will go a long way in getting good search results.   

Questions? Please feel free to comment below.

Before event and festival season resumes at full strength, here are five certifications to consider for enhancing your event and festival leadership and on-site capabilities.   These range from keeping up to date on the latest OSHA safety regulations, from being able to drive a fork or boom lift on site, to being able to spot severe weather and make important decisions based on weather forecasts, to being a certified Venue or Special Events professional. 

While these certifications are all voluntary, they will help you not only keep up to date on the latest and best practices in our industry, but it will also let potential clients see you’ve demonstrated and proven a certain level of knowledge and skill set, which may help them choose you and your company over the competition.  

There’s also a great list of available training for not just managers and directors but also site crew, technicians, ushers, security personnel, and more at the Event Safety Alliance’s Training and Certification Page.  

1. OSHA Outreach Training Program
   – this program provides basic safety and health information and education — it does not fulfill an employer’s requirement to provide training under specific OSHA standards. The OSHA Outreach Training Program for General Industry provides training for workers and employers on the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of safety and health hazards in workplaces in general industry.
2. Sunbelt’s Operator Training Program –  This program prepares an individual to understand the hazards involved in operating specific equipment. Course includes in-classroom and hands-on training for Aerial Work Platforms, Forklifts, Backhoe/Loaders and Skid-steer Loaders. Other similar programs are offered here as well. 
3. IAVM’s Certified Venue Professional Program – The CVP designation says three important things about an individual: he or she is a capable professional, is committed to the industry, and is pledged to continued professional growth and development.  Venue professionals who earn the CVP designation are recognized, by those inside and outside the industry, as skilled in their profession.
4. ISES’  Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) – The CSEP designation is the only certification within the meetings/incentives/conventions/expositions (MICE) industry that signifies knowledge in all facets of the special events industry. It conveys credibility and a competitive edge when marketing or soliciting business.
5. National Weather Services’ Severe Weather Spotter Training – a vital link in the timely and accurate flow of weather information into and out of weather forecast offices, trained Storm Spotters can help better assess how to act given a certain weather forecast; it could be the difference in evacuating your festival with enough time to ensure everyone’s safety.

This article is written by George Long at Aggreko, after I had some concerns in how close we can place the size generators we needed to our stage without there being any issues of generator noise bleeding into the film. I had asked him to help ensure we were receiving “whisper quiet” generators. Here is his very well thought out reply:

First off, there’s no industry or any other standard that is “whisper quiet”, it’s a marketing term.

Film grade – surprisingly the “crystal sync” phrase didn’t get referred to. Film grade would simply mean that the generator has some sort of electronic governing versus mechanical speed control. Think your average gas generator that cycles according to load – you drop a higher demand on it and for a second or so, the voltage drops as the engine tries to catch up. This is caused by magnetic resistance imposed in the generator end – As the demand increases (trying to draw more out of the straw as it were), the increase causes more magnetic resistance which needs to be compensated for within the windings.

Twin pack 1.5 MW Generators capable of providing electricity to 330 households

Think of it like this – you’re towing a boat down the highway and have cruise control on going 65 MPH. If that road is flat, the amount of energy required to keep it going at 65 MPH remains the same. However, if you hit a hill that load (the boat) starts to slow down the truck because the amount of available energy, assuming all factors are constant, exceeds the energy available to get up that hill – so what does the cruise control do? It applies more fuel to bring the vehicle back to 65. Typically there’s a lull where the engine basically has to catch up to the load. The same works in reverse, you crest that hill and start to go down and there’s less demand (load) on the truck and the cruise control doesn’t need to feed as much into the engine to keep the speed up.

With generators it’s roughly the same thing – as the load, in this case, amperage demand increase, it’s like hitting that hill. However we want the speed to remain constant always ~ speed = frequency/Hertz. If it was just mechanically governed (some construction generators have this with a bar you pull out to set engine speed), there’s a lag as the engine demands more fuel, and your lights dim, etc. With electronic governing, the generator senses things like the RPM and voltage a lot sooner than when the demand is there and compensates earlier/faster. Think of this like if you see the hill coming and you start to feed more into the engine prior to reaching the hill with your boat. You don’t notice the lag as much, if at all. Maybe another way of thinking about electronic generators control is using a super computer to calculate pi versus your I Phone app. You get there both ways but it’s a lot faster with the super computer.

Typically any filming or taping needs a steady sine wave at a precise Hertz or frequency. This is to ensure that the image speed remains consistent but it’s really a moot point. The plants have Deep Sea electronic controllers in them which regulate all the applicable elements to ensure this.

65db – Where? At 3 M? 7M? Engine end? Controller end? Averaged? Here’s a handy chart on average noise levels –

Environmental Noise
Weakest sound heard	0dB
Whisper Quiet Library at 6′	30dB
Normal conversation at 3′	60-65dB
Telephone dial tone	80dB
City Traffic (inside car)	85dB
Train whistle at 500′, Truck Traffic	90dB
Jackhammer at 50′	95dB
Subway train at 200′	95dB
Level at which sustained exposure may result in hearing loss	90 – 95dB
Hand Drill	98dB
Power mower at 3′	107dB
Snowmobile, Motorcycle	100dB
Power saw at 3′	110dB
Sandblasting, Loud Rock Concert	115dB
Pain begins	125dB
Pneumatic riveter at 4′	125dB
Even short term exposure can cause permanent damage – Loudest recommended exposure WITH hearing protection	140dB
Jet engine at 100′	140dB
12 Gauge Shotgun Blast	165dB
Death of hearing tissue	180dB
Loudest sound possible	194dB

 

OSHA Daily Permissible Noise Level Exposure
Hours per day	Sound level
8	90dB
6	92dB
4	95dB
3	97dB
2	100dB
1.5	102dB
1	105dB
.5	110dB
.25 or less	115dB

 

Perceptions of Increases in Decibel Level
Imperceptible Change	1dB
Barely Perceptible Change	3dB
Clearly Noticeable Change	5dB
About Twice as Loud	10dB
About Four Times as Loud	20dB

 

Sound Levels of Music
Normal piano practice	60 -70dB
Fortissimo Singer, 3′	70dB
Chamber music, small auditorium	75 – 85dB
Piano Fortissimo	84 – 103dB
Violin	82 – 92dB
Cello	85 -111dB
Oboe	95-112dB
Flute	92 -103dB
Piccolo	90 -106dB
Clarinet	85 – 114dB
French horn	90 – 106dB
Trombone	85 – 114dB
Tympani & bass drum	106dB
Walkman on 5/10	94dB
Symphonic music peak	120 – 137dB
Amplifier, rock, 4-6′	120dB
Rock music peak	150dB

NOTES:

• One-third of the total power of a 75-piece orchestra comes from the bass drum.
• High frequency sounds of 2-4,000 Hz are the most damaging. The uppermost octave of the piccolo is 2,048-4,096 Hz.
• Aging causes gradual hearing loss, mostly in the high frequencies.
• Speech reception is not seriously impaired until there is about 30 dB loss; by that time severe damage may have occurred.
• Hypertension and various psychological difficulties can be related to noise exposure.
• The incidence of hearing loss in classical musicians has been estimated at 4-43%, in rock musicians 13-30%.
• Recent NIOSH studies of sound levels from weapons fires have shown that they may range from a low of 144 dB SPL for small caliber weapons such as a 0.22 caliber rifle to as high as a 172 dB SPL for a 0.357 caliber revolver. Double ear protection is recommended for shooters, combining soft, insertable ear plugs and external ear muffs.
  At 7 M, the “rating” of the 200 is 70 dbA – so less than a singer. Then add to this the inverse law of squares which says that any intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source. A quick rule of thumb is sound level will decrease 6 db for every time the distance is doubled, although the calculations are slighting more complex than that.

SIMPLE EQUATION FOR PREDICTING A SOUND LEVEL:

If you measure a sound level 70 = dB
at distance
d1 =7 m = 22.965 ft

then at distance
d2 = 20m = 65.616 ft

the inverse square law predicts a sound level
I2 = 50 dB

i2/i1=[d1/d2]

Thank you, Geo! He also collaborated on our Electricity Guide if you would like to read up even more about power.

The biggest rookie mistake in social media for events is that the brand waits to begin social media postings (or doesn’t post often) until the event is almost there.

Social media has significant value for search engine optimization, it keeps your brand top of mind for festival goers, and begins building an audience that you can continuously market to. So, if you have an event in the next 6 months, stop reading this now and go set up your social accounts.

Here are 4 things you absolutely should be doing on social media way before you event starts:

1. Determine a hashtag to use it wisely: 
Create a hashtag that is short, easy to remember, and looks good when you put the words together in all lowercase. Twitter doesn’t distinguish between cases in searches, for example: #musiccreation vs #MusicCreation will return the same search results, but when it’s written using lowercase letters, it’s difficult to read. You won’t be able to control how people use it. Be sure to test out your hashtag and make sure it’s not overly utilized elsewhere – especially in a negative way. Then make sure your partners, artists, sponsors, etc. know what it is. 

TIP: Not sure what a hashtag is? Start here or email us at Pigtail Media so we can discuss how it can be best used for your brand.

2. Tease your event (and use your hashtag):
With each announcement you have, use social media to update your audience and keep your festival top of mind. It’s a no brainer for the big stuff, but keep in mind the small stuff can still create a story. 

You may think each announcement isn’t all that exciting. But it gives people a chance to get to know your brand, see it come to fruition, trust your brand, and follow along in your excitement. Finish your logo? Signed your first artist? Posters were just pressed? Your blog is live? Batch of tickets sent? Share it.

Tip: Don’t go overboard on Facebook posts. 1 post a day is sufficient and make it really good. Twitter is much more acceptable to post 5+ tweets a day, but make sure each tweet is not all about your event.

3. Let your partners know your event is on social media:

Email your sponsors, partners, artists, etc. with an overview about your social sites. Provide them with your hashtag, your social links, and simple messages they can share on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook that benefit your event.

Tip: The easier you make it for them, the more likely they will follow and share your event news.

4. Use Twitter to build influencer relationships – and take it outside of social.

Through Twitter, you can search, follow and put users into specific lists. Those lists can then be viewed independently of all the other accounts you follow. Think about it as a tool to clear out the clutter and only see the posts from the people who matter most to you.

For example, identify the media outlets that are fitting to your press and outreach strategy. See who the writers are and do your diligence and search for them on Twitter. Follow, engage 1-3 times with their content to put you on their radar and then compartmentalize them into your LIST of media.

Utilize this list in two ways: 1) Episodically visit that list and engage with the content to keep yourself top of mind. Don’t be afraid to tweet that person when there’s something you want to share, just don’t tweet the same message to multiple media outlets/writers at once. That’s visible for all to see and removes any personalization. 2) If you DON’T have a PR Team, consider digging deeper and finding the email address of this person. Introduce yourself via email in an authentic way – where you aren’t selling anything. Keep those emails contacts is a safe place. When you have a press release or announcement, those can be your source of press mentions.

Tip: One effective and efficient way to find a writer on Twitter is simply put in their name + “twitter” into a google search. Additionally, searching Twitter.com with the media’s twitter handle name. Many writers will include that in their bio.

Social media does take time, but give it the time that it deserves because it can easily become the leading referral source on your website, an “in” to media contacts and bloggers, and the biggest way to connect with an audience and have them fall in love with your event … before it even happens.

Whether it’s your first event or you’ve got years under your belt, it’s always good to be reminded of proper radio etiquette.   It’s something that is very simple, yet consistently eludes even the best of us, especially when we want something immediately.  

First, let’s have a quick primer on what etiquette means.  According to Wikipedia:

• Etiquette refers to conventional forms and usages: the rules of etiquette. Decorum suggests dignity and a sense of what is becoming or appropriate for a person of good breeding: a fine sense of decorum.

Easy enough.  So how does that translate into the event and festival world?  Pretty simple.   When using a two way radio to speak to someone, utilize the following as a guide – in this example, I, Mike, am going to ask to talk to Kara:

1. I press down on the proper button, and if it’s a digital radio I wait for a beep.   Then I say, “Mike for Kara”.   This properly identifies who I am and who I wish to speak with. 

   Note what I don’t say:  “Kara!”  “Hey Kara, you out there?” 
   Or even worse, I don’t even say her name:  “I really need that gaff tape delivered to the stage!” 

2. I wait until Kara replies.   Around 10-20 seconds is acceptable.   If I hear nothing, I try one more time:  “Mike for Kara”. If I don’t hear back, I either try to reach someone else that can help me, or I try texting or calling Kara on her phone.   
3. At the end of the conversation, it often makes sense to say “Copy”, “Good Copy”, “Copy That”, “10-4”, or some other form of acknowledgement, so they can carry on and you can, too.

In this example, I’m going to respond to someone calling me, in this case, Kara again:

1. I hear (ideally) “Kara for Mike” on the radio. 
2. If I am free to talk, I respond back with “Go for Mike”.  That way she knows it’s me responding back.
   If I am not free to talk, I respond back with “Standby for Mike.”  The word “standby” is preferred over “hold” because “hold” sounds very much like “go”, and you’ll often hear people try to continue the conversation when you aren’t ready for it. 

   After a while, or if they know the person well enough, they’ll simply say “Go”, “Send it”, or “Go for me”.   This is acceptable but ideally you would identify yourself by name, especially if it’s with a new team that doesn’t know each other that well yet. 

And that is it.   Some people like to do the reverse and say “Kara for Mike” instead of “Mike for Kara”, but I prefer the latter. Either way works fine, but it can be confusing at first so it’s best the entire event team stays consistent – pick one method or the other.

You’d be surprised by how many people don’t follow these sort of guidelines, and as a result, sometimes already busy channels will have even more traffic and noise, preventing those who have urgent and important requests from getting through.   So whenever possible, keep it simple, short, and use the above as a guide and that should keep everything running smooth – at least radio wise – at your event. 

For those of you that travel several weeks or even months out of the year for gigs, over time you tend to develop (and try to keep) some good habits as well as maximize your office space. Here are some tips – and all pictures link directly to an Amazon page:

Packing Tips

• When packing for a long time away, make sure you know your laundry situation before you leave.  If you will be provided with opportunities to send away your laundry to a fluff and fold, then plan to have a day or two more than you may need in between laundry runs.If you will not have any time to do laundry, then pack as much as you can and see about bringing larger luggage / checking bags if you don’t normally do that.  Having enough laundry is so important, especially on the final days.One cool gadget to make sure you’re under the weight limits imposed by your airline is a luggage scale (like the one pictured).   These will help ensure you aren’t caught having to pay extra money at the ticket counter and they can also help you determine how much your laundry will be (often, it is $1/pound) when it’s time to get it washed at the gig.

• One great addition to my luggage was having a large laundry bag to keep dirty and clean clothes separate.   This can also double as an easy way to send out your dirty laundry when it’s time.  Make sure you always have some cash and envelope handy to tape on your bag, along with labeling the bag with your name somewhere, so it’s easy for them to process your laundry.

• For longer gigs, I normally can get by with 1 large suitcase, 1 duffel bag, and my laptop shoulder bag.  I’ve been able to fit my laptop, second monitor, numeric keypad, printer, and all cables in it, which leaves more room in my luggage for clothes, tools, and shoes.   Don’t forget to put anything sharp in checked luggage – I’ve had a leatherman get confiscated before that I forgot about at the TSA checkpoint.

Wellness Tips

• If you want to keep your daily fitness routine going, first find out the hours of your hotel’s gym, and then try and see how you can fit that in before or after your scheduled hours on-site. If you’re a runner, look to map out a route near the site and/or the hotel that you can easily do before or after work.

• Try as best you can to stick to your normal diet once on-site. Most catering setups will have some healthy options, and you can always see about adding some healthy snacks to your team’s runner list.  As enticing as those white chocolate cookies may be everyday at lunch, you’ll pay for it in trying to stay awake an hour later.

• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate – as much as possible, avoid caffeine-based drinks that are full of sugar, and try to stick to green tea, coffee (although as a diuretic, both should be consumed in moderation), or super-hydrating drinks like coconut water, Vitamin Water Zero or kombucha. My all-time go to drink is the Synergy Brand Kombuchas – they are the most bitter tasting, but I feel they are the most energizing.If you’re in a part of the country that doesn’t have easy access to those kinds of drinks, or you’re in the middle of the city but can never leave, see if you can order some via InstaCart or Amazon and get it delivered.

• As much as possible, aim for the amount of sleep you normally need to stay functioning at a high level – for some people that’s 8 hours, others it’s 4. You know your body, and if you get the gig off to a sleepy start, it’s going to make it harder for you once it’s show day.

Office Tips

• Most festivals provide staff with office space, but it usually is at a premium. That said, finding the best balance of what’s best for your productivity versus what space you have is key. I have an 11″ Laptop with a USB powered slim monitor (pictured) and a number pad so I can easily type out invoices / spreadsheets.This uses little more than what my old 17″ laptop used to take up, but it gives me a lot more flexibility. I also make sure to bring along a power strip just in case.

• If space allows, I also recommend a portable printer, like the Canon pictured to the right. I can fit my laptop, monitor, printer, and all cables in my shoulder bag, believe it or not. It makes for a very quick setup when you have to be up and running and can’t wait to connect to the main printer or if there isn’t going to be one.

• If your job has you in the office or trailer for long periods of time, make sure you get up, walk around, take a quick walk outside – even if it’s really hot or awfully cold. This help reduce eye strain / fatigue from staring at the computer as well as get the blood pumping.  If you’ve got a FitBit or other exercise tracking device, see if you can still hit your daily goal even by taking short breaks every so often – you’d be surprised what a ‘lap’ around the site can do; one event day I walked over 45,000 steps!

• And if possible, try to find the most comfortable chair, or bring your own if it’s a local gig. Having to sit on a plastic folding chair for weeks on end is terrible for your posture and back. If possible see what other options may be around you, or ask your supervisor if they can help. At the least, you buy a cushion / pillow to help keep you comfortable.

For those of us that have been either on the road or experienced everything you could possibly think of at a venue, over time we tend to build up a trusted set of tools, equipment, gadgets, and supplies that we won’t leave home without.  What is in your bag when you roll into your next gig?

Here’s what’s inside mine – granted, some of these I have to leave home when traveling:

Gaff Tape

Measuring Tape (300′)

Measuring Wheel

Event Grade Scissors

Sharpies

Highlighters

Poncho / Rain Jacket

Hoodie for colder weather

Reflective vest

Extension cord

Power strip

Large blanket – for covering a desk, keeping warm

Circuit tester

Leatherman – primary

Leatherman – mini, for keychain

Ear plugs – for keychain

Flashlight – for keychain

Flashlight – primary (very wide angle lens)

Zip ties

Marking Flags

Simple tool kit (pliers, wrench, hammer)

First Aid Kit

Sunscreen

Bug spray

Luggage Scale

Laundry Bag

Pouch for radio and other gear