Friday the 13th

For some, Friday the 13th is a movie series. For others it is a ritual.

Today is the 50th Ride of the Friday the 13th motorcycle ride into Port Dover, a little town of 5,500 on the north shore of Lake Erie.

Each Friday the 13th for the past 29 years, bikers have been riding into town, sun, rain, sleet or snow. The event started with 25 bikers. In recent years more than 50,000 bikes and over 100,000 people (many non-bikers come to walk the streets and share in the event) have converged on the town to spend the day. Being the 50th Ride and with great weather, it is anticipated that as many as 100,000 bikes and more than 200,000 people may be attending today.

While the event is generally peaceful, from time to time there are motor vehicle collisions involving bikes. But emergency planners should plan for the worst and hope for the best.

Has a proper HIRA been done?
Some potential risks: food poisoning or other mass illness, multiple casualty motor vehicle accident, significant act of violence (e.g. shooting), weather related events (thunder storms, tornado), fire in a local establishment, water system failure, etc.

Are the emergency services and allied agencies using IMS and a unified command?

And the planning questions could go on and on.

I just wish I had time to ride my bike to Port Dover to be there.