Emergency preparedness for mass gatherings: Lessons of “12.31” stampede in Shanghai Bund

This paper explores the Shanghai “12.31” stampede which according to the authors can be a legacy for improvement in the future. According to this paper the government should draw experience on the implementation of an emergency preparedness system, in order to improve the rapid emergency response during mass gatherings in the future.

After the stampede tragedy on December 31, many public events, not only in Shanghai but also in other major cities, were canceled. However, it is not beneficial to forbid all the mass gatherings because of the spontaneity and uncontrollability. On the contrary, the government should evaluate the event, summarize the mistakes and learn the lessons so as to provide guidance to future mass gatherings.