Good event planning includes ensuring that the safety of guests is a top priority. Whether they’re concerts, sporting events, music festivals – anywhere a large amount of people can gather at a public venue can be the location for a violent incident.
Make sure your event goes off without a hitch by following our tips below on how to improve its security:
Security Posture Matters
Bag checks, uniformed personnel, using unique identifying items such as customized lanyards or wristbands all go a long way towards deterring any persons who may have ill intent towards entering your venue. When those people see that security is tight at your event, they’ll think twice of trying to get in. And even if they do get in, they will be much less inclined to create an unpleasant incident. Make sure you staff your event with professionals and make sure they are as visible and as identifiable as possible.
Be Vigilant
Being prepared to handle a large crowd before the event goes without saying, but most people miss the fact that security measures need to be kept in place through the entire event, and even after the guests have left. Maintain the same screening and entry process before, during, and after the event. Many attacks occur when event security grew lax over the course of an event, especially when entrances are less guarded and people were distracted by the performers. This allows violators to slip inside the event grounds unnoticed.
Don’t Forget to Secure the Outer Premises
Even if you are holding your event indoors, don’t forget to secure the outside area. You may want to cover areas of potential concern where additional security measures may need to be placed, such as subway or train connections, parking lots where people might tailgate, as well as storefronts and places where merchandise are sold. Most attackers will be on the lookout for where they can do the most amount of damage, so these will be where there are large, dense groups of people. Try to spread these locations out so that people aren’t milling around in the same area for too long. You can also try stationing security personnel to monitor these hot spots for potential threats.
Set the House Rules and Make Sure the Guests Follow
Everyone wants to have a good time, but letting your guests treat your house rules more like a set of guidelines is a sure path to disaster. Be very clear on which items are prohibited inside your event venue, and enforce the house rules strictly. When people bring in contraband such as alcohol or drugs, it can clog up bag checks and create a crowd right at the entrance that attracts attackers to strike. Your security personnel need to be briefed on how to control large crowds efficiently, and with authority if necessary.
Don’t Overfill Your Event
Keep your guest number manageable and within the capacity limits of your venue by limiting event wristbands. Keep a head count of all staff as well as security personnel alongside your final tally of guests. Going over capacity can result in fines, but it can also turn catastrophic should something untoward happen during the event.
Ensuring your guests safety and enjoyment of the event should be your primary goal as an event organizer. By follow the tips above, you can facilitate an event that will surely be remembered by your attendees for quite a long time.
