The health, safety and well-being of everyone at the Conference is important to NMSDC. We are committed to working with the Los Angeles Convention Center, our event partners and local authorities to support a safe, welcoming and inclusive Conference experience.

Every Conference attendee plays a role. 

Please review the information on this page before traveling and follow all instructions provided by NMSDC staff, Los Angeles Convention Center personnel, security officers and first responders.

Before You Travel

Please prepare for your visit by taking the following steps:

• Monitor your health before departing for Los Angeles.
• Pack all prescription medications and personal health supplies you may need.
• Consider bringing a well-fitting mask and personal hand sanitizer.
• Save your health insurance information and an emergency contact in your phone.
• Check current Los Angeles weather, air quality and travel conditions.
• Enable emergency alerts on your mobile device.
• Review your hotel’s emergency procedures and identify the nearest exits after checking in.
• Allow additional travel time near the Convention Center because construction and road closures may affect traffic, pedestrian routes and parking access.

A personal water bottle may be brought into the Los Angeles Convention Center. Bulk beverages, coolers and most outside food are not permitted.

Stay Informed

Wellness, safety, transportation or emergency information may change as conditions warrant. Material updates will be communicated through one or more of the following:

• The NMSDC Annual Conference & Exchange mobile app and website
• Email sent to the address associated with your registration
• On-site announcements and digital signage
• Instructions from NMSDC staff and Los Angeles Convention Center personnel

Please ensure that your registration contact information is current and monitor official Conference communications throughout your visit.

Lost Items

Never leave bags, devices, identification documents or Conference credentials unattended. 

To report or retrieve an item lost inside the Los Angeles Convention Center, contact LA Conference Center Guest Services at 213-765-4225.

Hydration, Rest and Personal Wellness

Conference days can involve extensive walking, standing and networking. Attendees are encouraged to:

• Wear comfortable footwear;
• Drink water regularly;
• Eat at appropriate intervals;
• Take breaks when needed;
• Pace alcohol consumption and never drive while impaired;
• Carry any medications needed during the day; and
• Ask for assistance if they feel faint, overheated, unwell or overwhelmed.

Personal water bottles are permitted inside the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Accessibility and Disability Accommodations

The Los Angeles Convention Center provides accessibility features that include designated accessible parking, automatic doors, elevators, accessible drinking fountains, accessible signage and accessible restrooms.

Wheelchair assistance or rentals may be available through the Convention Center Guest Services team, subject to availability. Attendees who may need a mobility device are encouraged to make arrangements in advance rather than relying on same-day availability.

Service animals are permitted in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Pets are not permitted inside the Convention Center.

For Conference-related accessibility or accommodation requests, contact the NMSDC Events Team at events@nmsdc.org as early as possible. 

For questions about the LA Convention Center’s physical accessibility features, contact:

• Email: accessibility@laconventioncenter.com
• Phone: 213-765-4664

Please notify NMSDC staff or Guest Services team member if you need assistance during an emergency.

Food Allergies and Dietary Needs

Attendees with food allergies or medically necessary dietary restrictions should:

• Communicate their needs through the Conference registration or accommodation process;
• Ask catering staff about ingredients before consuming food;
• Read available food labels carefully;
• Avoid food when its ingredients or preparation methods are uncertain; and
• Carry any medication prescribed by their healthcare provider.

Although reasonable efforts may be made to address dietary requests, individuals with severe allergies should take appropriate personal precautions.

Help Prevent the Spread of Illness

Large gatherings can increase the spread of respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses. Attendees can help protect the Conference community by:

• Washing hands frequently with soap and water;
• Using hand sanitizer when handwashing is not immediately available;
• Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or upper sleeve;
• Avoiding the sharing of drinks, utensils and other personal items;
• Considering a well-fitting mask in crowded indoor areas;
• Staying up to date on immunizations recommended by a healthcare provider; and
• Staying away from Conference activities when sick.

Masking is welcomed throughout the Conference. Please respect attendees who choose to wear a mask, maintain additional personal space or take other health precautions.

If You Are Sick

Do not attend Conference activities if you have a fever or symptoms of a potentially contagious illness that are not otherwise explained by a known condition.

Los Angeles County public-health guidance recommends staying home and away from others until:

• You have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication; and
• Your other symptoms are improving.

After returning to normal activities, consider taking added precautions for at least five days. These may include wearing a well-fitting mask, practicing careful hand hygiene, improving airflow, maintaining additional distance and testing before spending time around others—particularly people at higher risk of severe illness.

If You Become Ill During the Conference

1. Leave the session, exhibit hall or event activity.
2. Avoid close contact with other attendees.
3. Return to your hotel or another private location when it is safe to do so.
4. Contact a healthcare provider if you need medical advice or treatment.
5. Seek immediate assistance if you experience difficulty breathing, chest pain or pressure, confusion, an inability to stay awake, or another serious symptom.

Attendees at higher risk of severe illness should contact a healthcare provider promptly if symptoms develop, as some treatments must be started soon after symptoms begin.

Medical Assistance at the Convention Center

For medical assistance inside the Los Angeles Convention Center, immediately notify an NMSDC staff member, a member of the Convention Center Guest Services team or venue security.

You may also contact the Los Angeles Convention Center Security Command Center:

• From a mobile phone: 213-765-4605
• From a Convention Center house phone: Extension 3000

Provide your name, your exact location—including the hall, meeting room or nearby landmark—and a clear description of the emergency. Remain at the location unless it is unsafe to do so and follow instructions from security and medical personnel.

The Convention Center asks guests to contact its Security Command Center first for incidents occurring inside the facility. This enables venue personnel to dispatch the appropriate medical team and guide outside first responders to the correct location within the building.

For an emergency occurring away from the Convention Center, call 911.

Emergency and Evacuation Procedures

In any emergency:

• Remain calm and listen for official instructions.
• Follow directions from NMSDC personnel, venue staff, security officers and first responders.
• Use the nearest safe marked exit if an evacuation is ordered.
• Do not block exits, corridors, stairs or accessible routes.
• Do not use an elevator during a fire or evacuation unless authorized personnel direct you to do so.
• Assist others only when it is safe and you are able to do so.
• Move to the designated assembly area and remain there for further instructions.
• Do not re-enter the building until authorized personnel say it is safe.

Take a moment to identify the nearest exits whenever you enter a general session, meeting room, reception or exhibit area.

Weather, Wildfire Smoke and Air Quality

Weather and air-quality conditions can change quickly. Before and during the Conference, monitor official forecasts, air-quality reports and emergency alerts.

Attendees with asthma, heart or lung conditions, or sensitivity to smoke should bring medications and protective supplies recommended by their healthcare provider. If outdoor air quality becomes unhealthy, limit outdoor exertion and follow official public-health instructions.

NMSDC will communicate material operational changes through official Conference channels.

Earthquake Safety

Earthquakes can occur without warning. If you feel shaking while inside the Convention Center:

• Drop to your hands and knees, if you are able.
• Cover your head and neck. If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, shelter beneath it.
• Hold on until the shaking stops.

Do not run outside during the shaking. Stay away from windows, glass, displays and objects that could fall.

Wheelchair and walker users should lock their wheels, cover their head and neck and hold on. After the shaking stops, expect possible aftershocks and follow instructions from venue staff and first responders.

Fire, Smoke or Hazardous Conditions

If you see smoke, fire, a suspicious substance or another immediate hazard:

• Move away from the affected area.
• Notify venue security or the nearest staff member immediately.
• Do not touch, move or investigate suspicious items or substances.
• Follow all evacuation or shelter-in-place instructions.
• Never attempt to retrieve personal belongings from an unsafe area.

Security and Personal Safety

Help maintain a safe Conference environment:

• Wear your official Conference credential in designated Conference areas.
• Do not lend your credential to another person.
• Keep phones, laptops, bags and other valuables with you.
• Do not leave drinks or personal belongings unattended.
• Be aware of your surroundings when walking, using transit or entering a vehicle.
• Use official Conference transportation, licensed taxis or recognized rideshare services.
• Verify the license plate, vehicle and driver before entering a rideshare vehicle.
• Travel with a colleague when possible, particularly after evening activities.
• Report suspicious behavior, threats, theft or unattended items to venue security.

Do not touch or move an unattended or suspicious item. Move away and notify security.

Weapons, unlawful substances, smoking and vaping are prohibited inside the Los Angeles Convention Center. Attendees must comply with venue rules and any event-specific security screening procedures.

Respectful and Professional Conduct

NMSDC is committed to an experience free from harassment, discrimination, intimidation and threatening behavior. All attendees, speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers, vendors, service providers and staff are expected to follow the NMSDC Code of Conduct.

Unacceptable behavior includes, but is not limited to:

• Harassment, intimidation or discrimination;
• Threatening, abusive or disruptive conduct;
• Unwelcome sexual attention or behavior;
• Stalking or deliberate intimidation;
• Inappropriate photography or recording;
• Physical violence or threats of violence; and
• Conduct that creates an unsafe or hostile environment.

Concerns may be reported to an NMSDC staff member or through the reporting process identified in the NMSDC Code of Conduct. If there is an immediate threat inside the Convention Center, contact venue security at 213-765-4605.

Transportation and Construction Advisory

The Los Angeles Convention Center is undergoing an expansion and modernization project but remains operational.

Pico Boulevard between South Figueroa Street and LA Live Way is scheduled to remain closed throughout the Conference period. Traffic patterns, pedestrian routes and access to parking areas may be affected.

• Review current Convention Center directions and parking maps before departing;
• Allow extra time to reach Conference activities;
• Follow posted construction, traffic and pedestrian signs;
• Use designated crossings and sidewalks; and
• Follow the Conference shuttle schedule when traveling from an official hotel.

Complimentary shuttle transportation is planned between designated official Conference hotels and Conference venues. Consult the official Conference schedule for current routes and departure times.

Helpful Resources

• NMSDC Annual Conference & Exchange
• NMSDC Code of Conduct
• Los Angeles Convention Center Visitor Information
• Los Angeles Convention Center Accessibility Services
• Los Angeles County Respiratory-Illness Guidance
• Ready LA County Emergency Alerts
• Ready LA County Earthquake Guidance
• AirNow Air-Quality Information
• Los Angeles County information and community services: 211
• Emergency assistance outside the Convention Center: 911

Important Notice

This information is intended to support attendee awareness and preparedness. It does not replace medical advice or instructions from public-health officials, venue personnel, security officers or first responders. NMSDC may update these protocols when public-health guidance, local conditions, venue requirements or Conference operations change.

The illness-prevention language is supported by current Los Angeles County respiratory guidance and the County’s large-event safety recommendations. The earthquake section follows Ready LA County’s Drop, Cover and Hold On guidance.