October 31st, 2023 was the second day of the NESU Autumn Conference, right after the cabin night. My name is Arina Kankaanrinne and I was one of the head organizers of the conference. This is my recollection of that snowy and fiery day.
The morning was beautiful. I was exhausted after the cabin night but waking up to the first snow of the season felt magical. I thought to myself how lucky we were to have such a picturesque snowy morning for the conference week. Oh, how wrong I was…
Breakfast was done and all participants were outside with their belongings waiting for the bus that would take us to the first day program. But the bus never showed up. I called our logistics lead who confirmed the bus should be on its way. We assumed it was just delayed due to the snowy roads. Then suddenly one participant tugged at my sleeve and asked me to step aside. Curious, I wondered what could be so urgent. They looked at me and said: “Our bus is on fire around the corner.” I didn’t understand at first. “What do you mean, on fire?” The reply: “The bus is literally in flames.”
My mind went into overdrive: What? No way. What do we do? This can’t be real? Is this some sick meme!
The fire department had already been called but due to poor road conditions it would take time for them to arrive. I quickly gathered a few team members. We needed to get everyone back inside and turn off the ventilation. After that, our roles became clear: we would work together as one team to manage the situation. The driver was safe but visibly shaken, so one teammate stayed with her to make sure she was okay. Another went informing the property owner of the fire, while someone else started planning ahead: if we were stuck here for hours, did we have enough food to keep everyone going?
Meanwhile, I called Petra Käki, the other head organizer. By sheer luck Petra and two other team members had driven back to Tampere during the night to prepare the day program in the city. I remember Petra reacting calmly to my news. For the purpose of writing this blog, I asked Petra’s thoughts on this. She said that because our division of responsibilities was crystal clear and we had complete trust in each other as head organizers, it was easy to stay calm even in the most absurd situations. We quickly agreed on the plan: I would manage everything at the cabin with the team, while Petra would reorganize the day program with our partners. The program had been carefully planned with Suomen Ekonomit and Tampere Entrepreneurship Society, but now, with hours of delay ahead, the entire schedule needed a complete overhaul.
My heart was pounding as I prepared to explain the situation to the participants who were anxiously waiting inside the cabin. I ended up explaining the situation multiple times as the situation evolved. First the fire department took longer than expected. Then a second fire truck was needed. We couldn’t leave until the fire was extinguished because the fire was blocking the only exit route. Then a replacement bus was on its way. But then that bus slid into a ditch just 150 meters before the burned bus (:D). So, a third bus was dispatched. This one wouldn’t even attempt the steep winding road to the cabin. Instead, participants had to walk about a kilometre with all their belongings to reach a bigger road.
When we finally boarded the third bus, I was terrified the entire ride back. Not everyone had a seat, some had to stand. Our choices were clear: either take a bus without winter tires where everyone could sit or choose a bus with winter tires where seating would be limited. We chose the latter as the snow seemed an unbeatable opponent. Thankfully, we arrived safely to the city.
Meanwhile Petra and the other members of the organizing team already in the city had arranged pizza for everyone at the day program venue. Our budget was tight, and pizza was an unplanned expense. However, it was worth every cent. After everything, participants wouldn’t have had the energy for even the shortened program without food. Petra also managed to coordinate a revised shorter program with our partners. Looking back, we were incredibly lucky that Petra and the others had left the cabin early. Their ability to negotiate with the partners to come up with a new program for the day was crucial for salvaging the day. Teamwork and a little luck make the dream work!
Finally, the incredible attitude of our participants must be highlighted. Even though the day was long and full of twists, everyone kept smiling until the very end. A huge thank you to all the participants for that!
I asked the other members of the organizing team of the conference: What did we learn from this experience?
- Anything is possible. Before the event we had gone through any potential issues based on the experiences from previous conferences. A bus catching fire and the next one ending up in a ditch? Definitely not on our bingo card.
- You can get through anything. With the kind of team spirit where everyone steps up and works together to tackle a tough situation, you’ll always find a way.
- Winter always surprises drivers!
- Xtra coffee is very bad.
Lastly, what did we get from this experience?A lot of memes!
Warmest (and smokiest) regards,
Arina Kankaanrinne