Communication breakdown

The LMGC is *supposed* to aid me in a review of the Rolling Stones' show from last night. I'm doing the "traffic review" on my own.
Last night was a clear example to me of how and why things went bad in New Orleans the way they did. The Duke campus police and Durham police department did NO better in the management of about 40,000 people before and after the concert. I bore witness to what can only be described as a clusterf*ck.
The LMGC and I parked in a deck about two miles from the stadium, where there was shuttle service. Great idea, we wouldn't have to walk. We boarded a school bus with about 30 other people and headed to the stadium. Our driver went the correct way, at first, but was denied entrance to any of the roads servicing the stadium. We ended up driving all over the campus in a big loop, and the clock was ticking. None of the people directing the traffic flow were of any help. Finally, a passenger began to give directions to the driver. After a 30 minute ride, we got as close to the stadium as possible. We were dropped off in a full parking area, to the consternation of a nearby police officer. Someone yelled from the bus to try to make him understand that no one was recognizing the shuttle and letting us through, but I'm not sure that he got the picture either.
After the show, the LMGC and I followed the crowd heading out, because we had no idea where we should meet the shuttle to ride back. (Note: the info was on the parking directions I'd printed from online, BUT had we been dropped off in the correct spot to begin with, we would have known where to meet the bus.) I have never felt like a rat in a maze as I did in the midst of the other 39,999 people who were squeezing through the narrow passages and walkways of the Duke campus. Apparently there was only ONE way out, and that was it. Perfect opportunity for a trampling, if I do say so.
We found some relief as the crowd spilled out onto the area in front of Duke Chapel. Still completely in the dark, we asked a safety officer where to meet the shuttle buses. He told us "right here" (in the circle in front of the chapel). So we sat and waited. And saw quite a few buses running the East-West campus route, but none back to our parking deck. So we asked a few folks standing around, and they, too, said to wait right there. We gave it about 30 minutes and began to rethink things. So we asked another officer and he said "wait right here." And when we clarified "for the Fulton Street bus?" he said, "I don't know anything about that."
DO WHAT? You are a public safety officer on a campus where you are hosting 40,000 visitors and you don't know about the traffic plans? Hell-freaking-o! Some nice concertgoers overheard our plight and directed us to go back through the rat-maze of campus dorms and frat houses and over to another traffic circle where we would meet our shuttle.
Hoping for the best, we set off, and sure enough, there were tons of other tired, sweaty folks just like us, waiting for the shuttle to the parking deck. Only, they weren't stopping. The buses were pulling through the circle and moving on. Some of the shuttles were for another deck downtown, and there were people there waiting to get on, yet the buses wouldn't stop. People were getting VERY upset.
And to our right, 20 of Durham's not-so-finest, standing around with their fingers up their asses, just watching the crowd get angrier.
We were directed towards a group of people waiting by a "to parking deck" sign. Then we were told to head up the hill to meet the shuttles. As we trudged along, we met a man in a wheelchair who was rolling himself up the hill (attention officers, you could help a fellow out) who'd been told to meet at the sign, then go up the hill, then to come back down, and now, was being sent back up the hill again. If this sounds confusing, it's because IT WAS. God forbid if any of these safety officers were to use their walkie talkies to communicate or figure out what was going on.
The LMGC and I waited about 10 minutes and saw another school bus come barrelling down the street, the wrong way, towards the line. The driver pulled a three-point turn, jumping the curb, and made his way over to the crowd. He was going to the parking garage. So with a little concern for our safety, the LMGC and I got on board.
It turns out, our driver was probably the most competent person in all of Durham associated with the concert that evening. He had recognized the situation, that the buses were not getting in where the crowds were, and came in from the other direction. As he drove, he talked to us about how FUBAR the situation was, and we all agreed. We drove past the street entrance to the road on which we'd been waiting and saw about 30 buses lined up. Going nowhere. Just sitting. And the crowds had no idea they were there. Our driver hollered out his window to other drivers to go in the other direction to pick up riders. We couldn't tell if any took his advice or not.
We were back to the parking deck within 10 minutes. "Big Mike" got a tip from me, because without him, we'd have still been stuck in the sea of lemmings waiting on a shuttle.
My analogous situation is the Katrina benefit at which the LMGC and I volunteered several weeks ago. A week before the show, organizers met with volunteers to go over their duties and plans for the benefit. The day of the benefit, organizers met again with volunteers to review expectations, "rules," and duties. Guess what...things went smoothly.
If any pre-planning or debriefing happened in Durham, you couldn't tell. None of the safety officers we encountered had a clue as to what was going on or how to help folks. I hope that heads will roll over the complete mishandling of the traffic and transportation situation. We are in no way prepared for any disaster or emergency if this is par for the course.