NCS⁴’s Ninth Annual National Marathon and Endurance Events Safety and Security Forum Starts Tomorrow on the Mississippi Gulf Coast

The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS⁴) at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) will host the ninth annual Marathon and Endurance Events Safety and Security Forum on December 6-7, 2022, in Long Beach, MS. The objective of the forum is to address key safety and security challenges facing marathon and endurance events and to share best practices for continuous improvement.

“We are happy to gather once again with our marathon community to ensure the industry is staying abreast of emerging threats, protective measures, and mitigating strategies. This will also help us collect pertinent information to update our Best Practices and share the most relevant resources with our members,” said Dr. Stacey A. Hall, NCS⁴ Executive Director and Professor of Sport Management.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage with Solution Partners whose participation makes this event possible. Solution Partners include Associated Agencies, Inc.; CSA360 Software, Inc.; Fisher Research Labs; Krizik Consulting Strategies; and Western Kentucky University.

Road races and other participatory sports events attract large numbers of athletes and spectators, making safety and security a top priority for race organizers, public safety, and host communities. These high-profile events give rise to a host of potential risks and threats that must be addressed to ensure the safety and security of people, property, and infrastructure.

“The NCS⁴’s National Marathon and Endurance Events Safety and Security Forum will be an important series of discussions and breakout sessions, bringing our event professionals together to share important information and practical solutions,” said Michael Nishi, Chicago Event Management’s Chief Operating Officer. “As we continue to bring our in-person live events back, we are now faced with new challenges created by staff/labor and supply chain shortages, and we have turned our focus on these important matters, leaving us more vulnerable to safety and security threats. The forum will be a great opportunity for us to connect with our industry partners to share best practices, ideas, and plans to mitigate a wide range of scenarios.”

Attendees will hear from keynote speakers and expert panels on topics such as severe weather, crowd management, hostile vehicle mitigation, measuring the return on security investment, and available DHS resources. In addition to general programming sessions, attendees will participate in moderated discussions to review the NCS⁴ Best Practices for marathon and endurance events (available online here).

The target audience for the event includes event planners/operators, administrators and staff from marathons, half-marathons, 10K, 5K, and endurance events, law enforcement personnel, emergency managers, fire, HAZMAT/emergency medical/health services, city planners, governmental representatives, sports commissions, and invited Solution Partners.

Pricing for attendees is $425. Limited space is available. Visit ncs4.usm.edu/marathon to register for the event or for additional information. Only corporations that are sponsors of the event may attend the forum.