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Emergencies (and to reach Dispatch Center for police, fire and medical):
911
Help Keep Our Fair Safe
As a staff member, you know your area of the fairgrounds better than anyone. This puts you in a unique position to recognize when someone or something seems out of place. Please help keep our fair safe by reporting suspicious activity to 911.
Minnesota State Fair Emergency Priorities
The Board of Managers and CEO hold the safety of Minnesota State Fair guests, exhibitors, vendors and all who work at the State Fair to be paramount.
This emergency management plan is designed to provide pertinent information regarding emergency situations and important guidelines to support a safe and timely recovery.
It is not intended to cover every potential problem or threat, but to serve as a guide upon which you can base your actions and decisions. Please take the time to read and understand the material in order to be better prepared to react responsibly in the event of an emergency.
This plan is reviewed annually by the Minnesota State Fair Emergency Management Team, Minnesota State Fair Police Department, State Fair operations staff, and representatives of other public safety and security agencies.
Information subject to change.
(August 2025)
The guidelines outlined in this app may be helpful in the critical first phase of an emergency (see separate listings for instructions regarding specific emergencies).
Keep calm and safe. Assess the situation. The safety of all is paramount.
Keep people away from any immediate danger; continue to help.
You may never be presented with an emergency, but for your protection and the general welfare of all, it is important that you be prepared.
Emergencies (and to reach Dispatch Center for police, fire and medical):
911
Reporting an Incident
If you see or hear an emergency incident, call 911 for immediate assistance.
Say “I’m calling from the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.”
Wait for an acknowledgment from dispatcher; then say, “This is (your name and department/booth/area/location). There is a (police, fire, medical, machinery, midway ride, etc.)-type emergency. The location is (street and nearby intersection, permanent vendor building, major landmark, grid coordinates from emergency map, etc.). Please send help.”
Wait for an acknowledgment, and then answer any questions.
If you can see a police officer or other emergency worker, advise them of the situation.
If necessary, instruct someone nearby to call for help.
Taking Action in an Emergency
You will most likely need to take one of three actions:
a) Shelter in place (get inside a building);
b) Evacuate (a building); or
c) Run, hide, fight (in case of an active threat)
The State Fair has prepared an easy-to-read flier of the above emergency procedure actions. Please share this with all staff by posting it in your workplace or providing it as a handout or text during training. (If you’d like assistance with printing or making copies, please contact guestservices@mnstatefair.org.)
In addition to calling 911:
Small fire: Use ABC extinguisher.
Injured person: Keep person calm and quiet; offer assistance, directions and resources; ask others for assistance in standing on the street, at building entrance, etc. to flag down first responders who may have difficulty finding the injured person in a crowd.
Violence/threats/robbery: Keep safe; do not provoke; notice details.
Bomb threat: Follow special procedures under separate tab in this app.
Crowd panic: Be a calm example; speak with authority; direct people to safety.
Maintaining communication during an emergency is important.
Text Message Tiers
When urgent messages are needed, primarily focused on severe weather and public safety, every effort will be made to communicate information using a tiered communication system:
Tier 1: Text messages will be sent to Minnesota State Fair full-time staff from the Emergency Operations Center.
Tier 2: Text messages will be sent via a State Fair-staffed text service to superintendents, managers, vendors and other area coordinators. If you have questions about this text list, please contact your State Fair full-time staff liaison for information.
Superintendents, managers, vendors and area coordinators will then communicate messages to their staff through their own system and process.
In rare instances (such as imminent severe weather and other urgent public safety situations), a fairgrounds-wide emergency text alert system will be used to communicate to all cell phones within the fairgrounds area.
Message Content
When communicating status updates with your team/group, consider:
What happened?
What are we doing about it?
Here’s what we want you to do …
Always close the loop or give the all-clear so your team/group knows communication on the situation has ended and will not expect further follow-ups in the near future.
State Fair Communication Policies
Do not speak on behalf of the State Fair when talking with media or others; you may only speak on behalf of your organization/business.
Don’t speculate or contribute to rumors by sharing unconfirmed information, even when communicating with family and friends and via social media.
Only repeat official messaging that comes by way of Tier 1 or 2 texts, the Updates page on the State Fair website, a staff email, or posted as official on fair’s social media accounts.
If approached by the public, say, “I am sorry, but I am not authorized to comment or release information regarding the situation. If you would like to follow up, please call the fair’s general number at 651-288-4400 or email fairinfo@mnstatefair.org.” (See “Media Relations” tab for how to direct media inquiries.
Safe & Well Plan
Each person should have a designated person to contact in the event of an emergency or crisis at the fairgrounds. This would be the one person you contact by text or phone to say something like, “I’m OK, but I'll need to stay at the fair and work. Contact others.”
This “safe and well” message should then be relayed by your one person to other friends and family so that you won’t have to try and communicate with many people, and they won’t be contacting you to check if you’re OK.
This will help keep cell service less jammed, prevent people from worrying if they can’t reach you, and let you focus on your duties at the fair with fewer interruptions.
Share this plan with your friends and family so they’ll know how they’ll get your safe and well message.
Reminder: When you communicate your safe and well message, refrain from giving unofficial information that could make its way to social media or the media.
Post Your Location
All supervisors, area coordinators, vendors and exhibitors should make sure their fairgrounds location information is posted within their space for easy reference (building, street address, block number, nearest intersection or other landmarks).
If you have a central telephone, post this information nearby. This emergency number should also be posted: Emergencies: 911
For additional communication information, refer to the “Severe Weather” tab of this app.
In most instances, individuals are reunited with their party within a short amount of time. If a lost child or vulnerable adult is not reunited with their party, a State Fair Police officer will accompany the lost person to Family & Baby Care (located across from West End Market, on West Dan Patch Avenue) to await their party. The police officer may request that you call Family & Baby Care, 651-288-4556, to notify them that an officer is on the way with a lost person; give a description of the person.
To help reunite lost children and vulnerable adults with their party, free ID wristbands are available at any information booth or at Family & Baby Care.
Send someone to retrieve the nearest AED if person is unresponsive.
Stop the bleeding. Use Direct Pressure with a dressing and press to stop bleeding.
Do not move an injured person unless the person is in a life-threatening or dangerous situation.
Keep injured person calm, quiet and comfortable – reassure person.
Send someone to guide medical team to location, if needed, by standing at nearest intersection, building entrance, etc.
When an active shooter is in your vicinity, call 911.
RUN
HIDE
FIGHT
When law enforcement arrives:
This training video illustrates a RUN, HIDE, FIGHT scenario. You may find this information helpful if an incident were to occur.
Crimes include incidents of assault, threats, robbery, theft, vandalism, etc.
The State Fair works directly with the National Weather Service to stay informed in the event severe weather approaches the area.
Notifications of impending severe weather (such as high winds, tornadoes, dangerous lightning, etc.) will be communicated throughout the fairgrounds as follows:
In the event of imminent severe weather, guests should seek shelter in buildings, vehicles, etc. Severe weather shelters are marked on State Fair maps. Vendors and employees should close up their areas and also seek shelter.
If it is after hours, State Fair staff and building superintendents will open up severe weather shelters if they are closed. State Fair police or security personnel will assist as needed.
See State Fair map tab for location of severe weather shelters.
See separate Grandstand tab for Grandstand evacuation and inclement weather plans.
Grandstand shows go on rain or shine; although severe weather may cause a delay.
The following applies to staff and vendors specifically assigned to the Grandstand venue. (All other fair staff, vendors, area coordinators and others not specifically assigned to the Grandstand will be notified as needed via the text message system – see “Urgent Communication” tab.)
Etix Text Service
On any day when there is potential for weather to affect that day’s show, the ticket office will email ticket buyers early in the day and offer an opportunity to sign up for concert-related text updates; the goal is to add to the Etix list ticket buyers who did not opt in when purchasing.
Evacuation
In the event the Grandstand concert area needs to be evacuated:
If the building is evacuated for reasons other than severe weather, exhibitors/concessionaires will only be readmitted to the building when deemed possible by State Fair operations in coordination with the sales department.
Lightning
Access to Grandstand seating may be delayed if threatening lightning is in the area. (Among other factors, this is defined as lightning within 8 miles of the venue.)
Show Start Delays
If a Grandstand show start is going to be delayed (due to weather or otherwise) for more than 15 minutes, depending on the situation, the same notification procedures noted above under “Lightning” will apply.
Show Interruptions
Show Cancellation
For Grandstand, see separate Grandstand Procedures section.
For other State Fair buildings such as the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum, if the area needs to be evacuated:
Police, fire and other appropriate personnel will be dispatched to the scene.
Guests will be asked to evacuate the scene in an orderly fashion.
If the situation warrants, supervisors, area coordinators and vendors will be informed about the evacuation via a text service; they will then communicate to their staff, exhibitors, guests and others.
If the situation warrants, evacuation notification will also be posted on the Updates page on the State Fair’s website (mnstatefair.org), the State Fair’s social media accounts, and given to the fair’s phone operators and information booths.
Staff will direct guests to nearest exit.
Once the structure is secure, police officers will remain on the scene for security.
Updates and the all-clear will be given via the above notification procedure as information becomes available.
Exhibitors/concessionaires will only be readmitted to the building when deemed possible by State Fair operations in coordination with the sales department.
If the National Weather Service issues a heat advisory or the heat index is expected to be at least 100 degrees for three hours or more, State Fair operations staff in consultation with Assistant Chief of EMS Operations and the State Fair Chief of Police or representative will activate a heat emergency plan.
Remain calm. Do not panic; panic can cause more harm than the bomb threat.
Write down the exact wording of the threat. Use the lists below to record as many details as you can concerning the threat. Have these notes ready for authorities.
Note time of threat
If bomb threat is received by phone, ask:
Where is the bomb located?
When is the bomb going to explode?
What kind of bomb is it?
What does it look like?
Why did you place the bomb?
What is your name and address?
Ask caller to repeat the message.
Write down notes about the caller’s voice to help you identify it if heard again:
Loud or Soft
High or Low/Deep
Male or female tones
Intoxicated or Slurred
Calm, Excited, Fast or Slow, Angry
Speech impediments
Nasal
Distinguished
Accent
Familiar – who does it sound like?
Other characteristics
Write down notes about the background sounds such as:
Voices
Airplanes, Trains, Street Traffic
Quiet
Animals
Music
Factory, Office, Machinery, Motors
Other
Write down notes about the threat language such as:
Foul
Incoherent
Message Taped
Irrational
Well-Spoken/Educated
Message Was Read
When the caller is off the line, call 911; do not use the radio.
Summarize in writing everything you can remember about the call.
Do not make a public announcement.
If you are on-site, while you are waiting for authorities to arrive:
Do not clear building of people; this decision will be made by State Fair Police.
Do not touch or move any strange objects.
Notice any suspicious people in the area.
Assemble key people who know the building to assist police in the search.
When State Fair Police arrive, follow instructions and assist in any way you can.
This exposure control plan has been established in accordance with OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.1030.
Report all threats against you or the State Fair immediately by calling 911.
Follow this guidance:
If a demonstration starts on the fairgrounds, immediately call 911.
Do not attempt to break up a demonstration.
Police will handle the situation. Police will explain that the State Fairgrounds is private property, and prior permission is needed for demonstrations.
If a demonstration starts on the fairgrounds, immediately call 911.
If a demonstration is taking place inside or outside the fairgrounds that will significantly disrupt regular business, scheduled activities or traffic, alerts and updates will be sent via text to full-time staff, supervisors, area coordinators and vendors; posted on the Updates page on the State Fair website (mnstatefair.org); and if the situation warrants, the State Fair’s social media accounts. Information booths and the fair operators (who answer the general fair line 651-288-4400) will also have this information.
Do not panic. Most fires at the fair are small and can be extinguished quickly.
LARGE-SCALE DISASTER
Protocol for Staff Check-In and Phone Calls to Family Members
During or following a large-scale emergency/disaster, staff members must be accounted for.
The Minnesota State Fair continues to follow current health and safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Information on symptoms, precautions and more can also be found on the Minnesota Department of Health webpage.
Everyone is encouraged to self-monitor, stay home when they are sick, and take precautions to prevent the spread of the disease.
Media Hotline:
651-288-4321 or email media@mnstatefair.org
The Minnesota State Fair marketing & communications department will be the first point of contact with the media. Please refer all media inquiries politely but firmly to the media hotline. Do not offer information or respond to questions.
If approached by the media, say, “I am sorry, but I am not authorized to comment or release information regarding the situation. Please contact our media relations team at 651-288-4321.”
If approached by the public, say, “I am sorry, but I am not authorized to comment or release information regarding the situation. If you would like to follow up, please call the fair’s general number at 651-288-4400 or email fairinfo@mnstatefair.org.”
To assist guests who use ASL, are deaf, blind or have low vision or mobility challenges, contact accessibility guest services.
Accessibility: 651-288-4448; accessibility@mnstatefair.org
Led by State Fair CEO and members of the fair’s senior leadership, the Emergency Management Team includes representatives of the State Fair Police Department, operations, media relations & communications, midway & attractions, and other medical, public safety and security agencies.
Our comprehensive public safety plan is developed and implemented in partnership with multiple agencies and experts at local, state and federal levels, and every part of our operation is continually evaluated and enhanced.
State Fair Police: Police authority and responsibility within the fairgrounds. The State Fair Police Chief or a designated representative serves as the law enforcement coordinator.
State Fair Fire Protection: Complete fire protection for the fairgrounds is provided by in-house Life Safety personnel and the City of Saint Paul Fire Department.
State Fair Emergency Medical Services: Medical first-aid, emergency medical services and hospital transportation are provided on the fairgrounds through a tiered system employing on-site contracted medical aid personnel and the City of Saint Paul Fire Department. A first aid charge nurse is on-call at the fairgrounds to coordinate emergency medical services.