Managing Black Friday crowds Last year's death prompts retailers to promote safety, order By Michelle Fern edge staff writer shopping@themaineedge.com BANGOR – Retailers across the nation are gearing up for another run at the traditional kickoff to the holiday buying season. Some, however, are taking extra precautions this year since frenzied shoppers looking for the ultimate deal can be unpredictable and, as discovered last year, even deadly. It was a year ago when a Black Friday bargain-crazed crowd trampled a worker to death at a Wal-Mart in Valley Stream, N.Y., where thousands of impatient shoppers waiting outside the Long Island location broke down the doors to enter the store as the 5 a.m. opening time approached. Amid a frenzied rush, 34-year-old temporary worker Jdimytai Damour was knocked down and trampled as shoppers stormed into the store. Police officers, who were performing CPR on Damour in an attempt to save him, were even stepped on by what one witness called "savages" as the out-of-control mob continued to pour inside. The Wal-Mart in Valley Stream, N.Y., is cordoned off on Nov. 28, 2008 while Nassau County Police investigate the death of a worker who was trampled to death by Black Friday shoppers. (AP file photo by Ed Betz) By the time the chaos ended, Damour was dead and four other shoppers, including an eight-month pregnant woman, were injured. And just last month, two incidents involving mad shoppers reinforced the notion that bargain hunters can be wild, if not downright hostile. In the first case, NBA player Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic began a Twitter scavenger hunt where he said the first five people to show up at a certain Florida GameStop would receive a free copy of his NBA Live 2010 video game. As clues emerged and word spread among thousands of his fans, store personnel at the ultimate location were quickly overwhelmed during the resulting mayhem. A week later, a woman who claimed to have won a $1.5 million lottery told shoppers in a Burlington Coat Factory store in Columbus, Ohio, that she would buy everyone $500 worth of merchandise. Once word spread around – shoppers already inside began calling their friends and relatives – more than 500 people flooded the store, and another 1,000 were waiting outside. After calling in two dozen police officers to help control the crowd, store personnel realized it was a hoax and enraged shoppers soon began a riot that overwhelmed police, looted the store and left it in shambles in a scene authorities likened to hurricane Katrina. The hoaxer was subsequently arrested and charged. For retailers across the nation, the above incidents are a lesson of how cash-strapped, aggressive consumers looking for a bargain can act – lethally in one case – and it would change the way companies handle them. The federal government recently asked major retailers like Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Target Corp., Best Buy Co. and others to take extra precautions for the holiday shopping crowds this season. According to a statement issued last week by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, guidelines include the use of barricades or rope lines to manage crowds entering the store, keeping entrances free of shopping carts and other potentially dangerous items, and using a public address system to communicate with shoppers. "Crowd-related injuries during special retail sales and promotional events have increased during recent years," said Jordan Barab, acting assistant secretary for OSHA, in the statement released last week. "Many of these incidents could be prevented, and this fact sheet provides retail employers with guidelines for avoiding injuries during the holiday shopping season." To help keep frenzied bargain hunters under control and incidents like last year's death from occurring, retailers will be changing the way they handle shoppers during the biggest shopping day of the year. Some will be handing out vouchers for their holiday sale items on a first-come, first-serve basis while others, including Wal-Mart, will open their stores Thanksgiving Day in those states that allow it to ease the flow of customers through Friday morning. Early-bird shoppers run into a Target store in Aurora, Ohio, looking for bargains at the beginning of "Black Friday" shopping early Friday, Nov. 28, 2008. (AP file photo by Amy Sancetta) Maine state law, however, prohibits stores from opening during the holiday, so some will open at midnight on Friday instead. In addition, the National Retail Federation, the retail industry's trade group, issued its own guidelines related to holiday shopping events. Citing not only last year's death but also the two other incidents in October, the NRF's recommendations include how to handle emergency crowd situations that are unexpected, and tips for mall-based versus standalone retailers. "With Black Friday upon us, retailers are reviewing their contingency plans to make sure store associates and security are well prepared for the big day," said Joe LaRocca, senior asset protection advisor for NRF. "Whether it's the holiday season, a celebrity appearance or an unplanned situation that requires security, retailers are constantly planning and preparing for even the most chaotic situations." For some retailers, it will be business as usual. Best Buy has been managing its Black Friday crowds for years through teams of employees who communicate with waiting shoppers, and who hand out pre-opening vouchers at around 4 a.m. for the most coveted items. Once those standing in line realize a particular item with limited quantities is no longer available – last year's hot laptop deal for $399 went to the first five people in line, all of whom had camped out for nearly 24 hours beforehand – the resulting dash to grab it is avoided. Others, however, are following Wal-mart's lead and moving to an earlier opening. Toys-R-Us in Bangor will open at midnight, offering specials to shoppers who show up that early as they wait for the major sale to begin at 5 a.m. "We tested it in a few markets last year," said Donny Elston, store manager for the Bangor location. "It'll be a new experience for us." According to Elston, store personnel have gone outside to visit waiting shoppers in the past – he's seen them line up as early as 10 p.m. the night before – and offered tickets to those waiting for specific items. Though the Bangor store hasn't had any issues with the crowds, last year's incident brought the subject to the company's attention. "They did go over crowd control concerns with us, line control. We'll be blocking some lanes off," he said, adding employees will set aside those items that are too large for carts for customers to pick up later. In addition, Elston said the earlier opening will bring the shoppers inside sooner and improve the flow of traffic. "We'll offer midnight to 1 a.m. specials, and hold the major items until 5 a.m.," he said. In response to last year's incident in Long Island – Wal-Mart was later cited by safety regulators for failing to have an adequate crowd management plan – the retailer changed its hours nationally to help avoid the chaotic rush. In a deal struck with Nassau County prosecutors last May, the company consulted safety experts in the sports and entertainment industries to improve crowd control, and this year it will avoid customers having to run to the area of the particular sale item of interest. Instead, shoppers will be able to line up inside the store during its extended hours and wait until the actual sale begins, at 5 a.m. Additionally, changes have been made to how customers enter, check out and leave the store, the company said. The Associated Press contributed to this report.