By Andrew Mefferd

The security of our public spaces has unfortunately been in the news a lot lately. Large public gatherings- including farmers markets- are considered “soft targets.” I got in touch with the Farmers Market Coalition (FMC) to get some ideas for best practices for ensuring public safety at markets. FMC has long worked with markets to come up with resources for them to manage risks. For their resources on keeping markets safe, go to farmersmarketlegaltoolkit.org/resources/.

One of the most basic parts of responding to an emergency is having a plan for what to do in the event of an incident. I talked with Ben Feldman, Interim Executive Director of the FMC, about what kind of emergency plans he has seen markets implement.

Have a plan

AM: Can you tell me about what you’ve seen markets do to address security?⬨

BF: Markets that are most likely to have an existing emergency action plan are, unfortunately, often markets that have already had emergencies. Whether it be a natural disaster or an unfortunate situation like what happened in Santa Monica. [In 2003, ten people were killed and 63 injured when a driver plowed through a farmers market in Santa Monica, California.]

And so, they have developed an action plan in response to those types of incidents. Oftentimes smaller markets are volunteer run. Sometimes they don’t have as many resources as some of the larger organizations or larger markets that are run by an organization.⬨One of the things about developing an emergency action plan for a given farmers market is the individual context is so important. So the challenge in looking to other emergency action plans where they give you a general framework is that the site specific context of each market location is so important for an effective emergency action plan.

As an example, for a market here in California we’re thinking about what to do in the event of an earthquake. In a market in say, Kansas, that’s not a relevant concern but tornadoes would be.
And then of course market layout is very important. From our perspective, I would say the most important thing to do for a farmers market is to develop an emergency action plan. You don’t have to overthink it. But most importantly, develop that plan in conjunction with local emergency services, police and fire. Share that plan with the vendors at the market and practice it.

Practice the plan

That is often the hardest part, to actually practice it. Because that basically takes running through an emergency type scenario, which can be disruptive to the market. But in order for it to be an effective plan, people need to experience it and have walked through it. And that’s the best preparation for an actual emergency.

So, from our perspective, that’s the most important thing markets do with that plan, is to make sure everybody knows what’s in it and how to react. Oftentimes we see plans, not just in case of emergency action plans but all types of plans, that are developed and they’re good on paper. But a couple of years after they’ve been developed, it’s easy for nobody to know what’s in the plan.

If it’s not revisited, then you’ve got a situation where you basically don’t have a plan.⬨ One of the things that’s worth mentioning is yes, active shooters are an important topic right now. It’s something that’s being discussed societally. It also leads to questions of people using vehicles, as we’ve seen in those types of incidents.

[After the] situation in Santa Monica, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) did an investigation. There’s been some talk on our listserv about parking vehicles, parking a market truck or something like that [at the entrance of the market], to prevent vehicle incursion. The NTSB recommendation was that for regular events, bollards are the best response.⬨

So we certainly recommend the markets that are thinking about that type of thing to work with their cities. If they do have a location where that market happens on a regular basis, to consider the investment in either retractable bollards or there are now some temporary devices that can be used to help to prevent vehicle incursion. Or simply using barricades like the types that are used for construction and things like that.⬨

Vehicles at market⬨

We look at this issue more broadly than just those specific incidents. Although they are in people’s minds right now. And even beyond that, the issue of vehicles in farmers markets is probably the area in which markets are most likely to suffer some sort of damage or injury. And not even with someone driving into a market like Santa Monica.

More likely there’s an incident where we have vehicles that are moving in the farmers market, vendor vehicles probably, during the hours of the market. There was recently in incident in California where someone was backing up and hit someone else. From our perspective, I think it’s most important that markets be thinking about their approach to vehicles within the market event.

And reminding vendors that really, once the market starts, vehicles shouldn’t be moving within the market. It’s a recipe for disaster. ⬨While these active shooter type situations are the ones that are garnering headlines and attention, the more likely scenario is one involving vehicles and almost certainly not intentional.

We’ve already talked a little bit about natural disasters as part of an emergency action plan. In terms of what’s most important to be thinking about for market operators: an emergency action plan and vehicle movement policy.⬨

AM: Should a market that is developing an emergency action plan speak with local police and fire departments first?

BF: Again, it depends on the market and their relationship with their local police and fire departments. Certainly, some markets have a strong enough relationship that they could go to them and say this is something we’re looking to do. ⬨It may be that the market needs to take the lead in developing that plan and providing it to them for guidance and consultation. 

But yes, I would recommend that they start with reaching out to their local police and fire department. They can be a really good resource and they can help them develop these plans.

⬨Communication⬨

AM: Are you aware of anything that markets can do with communications, to encourage a “see something say something” kind of approach?⬨

BF: Most of the things that we’re seeing markets do are in the context of a broader emergency action plan. And a lot of them have to do with their communication systems. For example, developing an emergency text alert system within the market, developing some sort of audible communication system within the market, and then developing systems by which they are able to reach out to the emergency services.

We do see some markets investing in private security or having arrangements with the local police and fire departments in order to have some additional support there. And we are seeing more and more markets looking at the need for training. Many markets are training their staff on first aid and CPR.

The more training market managers get on things like de-escalation and conflict resolution, the better off they are. Obviously if someone comes to the market with the intent of doing [harm], that’s not going to make the difference. But those are the types of things that we have seen some markets doing in order to try and increase the safety and security of their customers.

Andrew Mefferd is the editor of Growing for Market. He farms in central Maine.