Staying Safe at Torino 2019
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final brought Senior and Junior competitors to Palavela in Turin from December 5–8, 2019. With packed sessions, practice activities, ticket checks, and the exhibition gala, the arena experience involved thousands of spectators moving through entrances, concourses, seating areas, and public facilities.
A calm plan helps families respond quickly if someone becomes ill, an evacuation signal is issued, or a child is separated from a parent or guardian. The most effective approach is to learn the venue layout, keep essential contact details available, and report concerns immediately to uniformed event personnel.
The guidance below is designed around a major figure-skating event at Palavela. Official announcements, signs, stewards, security staff, police, medical teams, and emergency services always take priority over general advice. Follow their directions even when they differ from the routine described here.
Prepare Before Travelling To Palavela
Before leaving for the arena, agree on a simple meeting plan with everyone in your group. Choose a location that is easy to identify from the seating level and write down an alternative in case the first point becomes inaccessible. A meeting point should be in a public, supervised area rather than a car park, road crossing, or secluded corner.
Children should know the names of the adults accompanying them and how to identify event staff. Bright clothing, a distinctive hat, or a card inside a pocket can make recognition easier in a busy crowd. Avoid displaying a child’s full name publicly, since a first name or family contact number is generally sufficient for identification.
Keep tickets, travel details, medication information, and emergency contacts on a phone and in a written form. Phones can lose power or connectivity, so a small paper card is useful. If a child has allergies, sensory needs, mobility requirements, or a medical condition, tell the responsible adults in advance and carry the relevant medication according to medical instructions.
Know The Arena And Its Exits
Palavela’s large circular structure can feel different when it is filled with spectators. On arrival, note the entrance used, the nearest stairways, the location of toilets, and the positions of information or first-aid points. Check the route from your seats to an exit without blocking aisles or leaning over barriers.
Remain alert to announcements and illuminated signs. An alarm, public-address message, or direction from a steward may require visitors to leave by a route different from the one used to enter. Do not assume the closest visible door is the approved exit; staff may close an area because of smoke, crowd movement, a technical problem, or emergency vehicle access.
Keep aisles, stairs, and access lanes clear. Bags should remain within the permitted storage space and must never obstruct a passage. In a sudden evacuation, take only essential belongings if doing so does not delay others. Do not return for coats, souvenirs, phones, or equipment until officials state that re-entry is safe.
Spectators attending several sessions should repeat this orientation when moving between practice viewing, competition, and gala arrangements. Families who want background on the event’s young athletes can review the Junior ladies’ contenders before arrival, then keep the actual venue visit focused on safe movement and supervision.
Respond Calmly To An Emergency
If you see an injury, fire, threatening behaviour, structural concern, or another immediate hazard, alert the nearest steward or security officer. Give a precise location using the arena level, entrance, section, row, seat, or nearby sign. Ask another adult to guide responders if the area is difficult to find, while keeping clear of the person who needs help.
For a life-threatening emergency in Italy, call 112 when you can do so safely. State that you are at Palavela in Turin, describe what happened, and provide the best access point for responders. Stay on the line for instructions. If you cannot speak Italian fluently, give the basic facts slowly and ask a nearby staff member to assist with communication.
Do not move an injured person unless remaining in place presents immediate danger. Crowd around a casualty only when helping is necessary; extra spectators can restrict ventilation and delay medical care. Parents should keep children close and explain briefly that staff are helping, without allowing them to approach blood, damaged equipment, smoke, or a distressed person.
The following response guide keeps priorities clear during common incidents:
| Situation | Immediate action | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Medical problem | Notify a steward, identify the exact location, and call 112 for a serious or life-threatening condition | Moving the person unnecessarily or surrounding them |
| Fire, smoke, or burning smell | Follow staff and alarm instructions, leave by the directed route, and keep low if smoke is present | Using lifts, stopping to film, or re-entering |
| Evacuation order | Take essential items, hold children’s hands, and move steadily to the designated assembly area | Running, pushing, or returning for belongings |
| Suspicious item or dangerous behaviour | Create distance and report details to security without touching anything | Speculating, confronting someone, or sharing unverified alerts |
| Separated child | Contact the nearest steward or information point immediately and provide a clear description | Searching alone through exits or leaving the venue |
Use A Clear Process When A Child Is Missing
A child who cannot be seen for even a short time should be treated as a priority. First, check the immediate area without abandoning the location where the child was last seen. Look at nearby seats, toilets, concession areas, stair entrances, and the direction in which the child may have been walking. Ask a nearby adult to remain with other children while you report the separation.
Tell a steward, security officer, or venue information representative immediately. Explain the child’s name, age, height, clothing, footwear, distinguishing features, language, medical needs, and the last confirmed location and time. A recent photograph can help staff identify the child, but do not post it publicly while an official search is underway.
Staff may coordinate a discreet search, notify relevant teams, monitor exits, and decide how information should be communicated. Follow their instructions and remain available by phone. Do not attempt to force open restricted doors, enter staff-only areas, or confront strangers based on suspicion. These actions can create further risk and interfere with the venue response.
If you find a child who appears lost, stay in a visible public area and speak calmly. Ask only simple questions needed to establish immediate safety. Contact venue personnel rather than taking the child outside or travelling elsewhere to look for a parent. A staff member can arrange a controlled reunification and protect the child’s privacy.
Keep Children Close During Busy Sessions
Arrival and departure periods deserve particular attention because spectators converge at entrances, ticket controls, cloakroom areas, transport stops, and nearby paths. Hold a younger child’s hand, keep older children within agreed visual range, and pause before doors or escalators instead of moving with the crowd automatically.
The excitement of a skating session can make supervision harder. Children may focus on the ice, seek a better view, or follow a mascot, friend, or family member without telling anyone. Establish a rule that they must ask before leaving the seats and must approach uniformed staff if separated. A child should never leave the building alone to search for a parent.
During an evacuation, family members may be divided by barriers or crowd flow. Adults should avoid creating a chain that blocks movement. Keep the youngest or most vulnerable person beside the calmest adult, and use the agreed meeting place only after reaching the safe area. If someone remains missing, report that fact to staff immediately rather than re-entering the building.
Privacy is part of safeguarding. Do not announce a child’s full personal details over social media, share their image widely, or publish claims about an incident. Provide accurate information directly to authorised personnel, who can coordinate communication with the family and emergency services.
Support Accessible And Medical Needs
Families with mobility, hearing, vision, developmental, or sensory requirements should identify suitable routes and quiet strategies before the session begins. Ask venue personnel about accessible seating, step-free movement, assistance procedures, and the best way to receive public-address instructions. A written card explaining a communication need can be helpful during a stressful incident.
Bring prescribed medication, hearing devices, communication aids, and comfort items in a secure, accessible place. Do not leave essential medication in a vehicle or a checked bag. If a person becomes overwhelmed by noise, flashing lights, or crowding, tell staff early and move to an appropriate supervised area when directed.
Adults accompanying children should decide who communicates with staff and who stays with the group. This avoids several people giving different accounts or leaving a vulnerable child without support. Record the child’s seat, section, and ticket details before the event so that staff can locate the group quickly if an incident affects movement.
Staff may need to adjust a planned route because of an evacuation, restricted access, or emergency vehicle operations. Accept assistance and explain any limitation clearly. Practical information about sessions, seating, and the exhibition gala can help with planning, but on the day, safety instructions take precedence over a preferred entrance or viewing position.
Family Safety Checklist
- Save the venue name, Turin address, ticket details, and emergency contact information in each responsible adult’s phone.
- Photograph children before entering, including their clothing and outerwear, and keep the image privately available for staff if needed.
- Identify exits, information points, toilets, first-aid locations, and a meeting place as soon as the group arrives.
- Teach children to approach a steward, security officer, police officer, or clearly identified venue representative if they become separated.
- Keep phones charged, carry essential medication, and report a missing child or serious hazard immediately rather than conducting an extended private search.
A well-prepared family can enjoy the competition while remaining attentive to the people and environment around them. Keep children within the agreed boundaries, listen for official announcements, and treat every instruction from venue personnel as part of the organised safety response.
If an emergency occurs, act promptly: protect the group, alert staff, call 112 for urgent danger, and provide precise information. At the end of a session, leave through the directed routes and reunite at the agreed point. These simple actions help Palavela’s spectators, competitors, volunteers, and responders maintain a safe event experience.