Public Safety at Seattle Special Events

Through the Special Event Committee process, City, County, and State agencies review every Seattle Special Event request with focus on safety and security.  These agencies work with event organizers to establish emergency and safety operating levels on a case by case basis.  While we can't always prevent tragedies that put people in danger, what we can do is take all steps to be prepared in advance and to be able to respond to emergencies, whether they are caused by natural disasters or by the work of people who seek to cause harm. 

Organizers of any Special Event expecting 1,000 or more attendees are required to complete and submit a Public Safety Plan in addition to the Special Event Application for review by the Seattle Fire Marshal's Office, Medic One, and Seattle Police Department.  For information about agency public safety review and support, contact:

Seattle Police Department (SPD):  SPD reviews events on a case by case basis.  Requests for increased SPD event staffing should be directed to Seattle Police Operations Center (206) 684-5090.

Seattle Fire Department (SFD):  SFD assigns dedicated fire and EMS response resources at large events.  Event safety, security, and crowd management planning must follow Seattle Fire Code (SFC) 403.3, which sets the training level and number of event staffing, and requires emergency management contingency plans.  Medical response staffing and presence is determined upon review of the event and additional needs of the organizer.  See the Contact Us page for SFD employees who can assist you.

Special Events

Address: 700 5th Avenue, Suite 5752, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 94708, Seattle, WA, 98124-4708
Phone: (206) 684-8017
Fax: (206) 684-7025

The City of Seattle plays a strong role in helping event planners bring people together safely and successfully in both city-wide and neighborhood events.