It may only be January 31st, but for anyone involved in the world of event planning, it will come as no surprise to hear that people are already well into their planning for spring and summer events! As the weather gets warmer, events start popping up all over Vancouver and the surrounding areas. Whether you’re planning a music festival, a farmers market or a marathon, even security is an important consideration! Here are some of our top tips for keeping your spring and summer events safe and secure this year:
Analyze Risk
Security planning is always very important, especially when it comes to large scale events. Take the time well in advance to analyze all aspects of your event from a security and protection perspective. What could create a potential health and safety hazard? Are there any weak points in your ticketing, admission and entrance systems that could allow for a security breach? What locations within the area will be most vulnerable? Will alcohol be consumed, and if so how will this be safely managed? In the event of an emergency, what is your response plan and where can medical assistance be accessed? After considering potential risks, ensure that all safety plans and policies are in place, and that all involved parties are trained, prepared and aware. Hope for the best case scenario, but be prepared for the worst!
Know Your Venue
The venue is of course a very critical component for any event. Whether your venue is outdoor or indoor, big or small, open or secluded, it’s important to know as much about the physical location for your event as possible. When it comes to event security and keeping your event safe, you should be well aware of all main points of entry as well as any additional, less obvious points where people may be able to enter or exit, such as back doors or staff-only exits. Make sure that all staff and security personnel are aware of the entry points, accessible areas and areas that are off-limits. Having a visual aid such as a floor plan or diagram can be incredibly helpful in this regard. Ensuring that all event staff and personnel are aware of the physical space and venue details can help to keep the location secure throughout your event.
Crowd Control
When it comes to summer events, the numbers have to be considered. Often, especially with outdoor events such as concerts, festivals and sporting events, a single event can bring out thousands of individuals. With that many people to account for, safety is of the utmost importance. Ensure that your staff are prepared to manage a crowd and act with authority if needed. Use physical control aids such as barriers, stanchions, tape or pylons to guide waitlines and clearly indicate entry points or restricted areas. Clear signage is also very important in guiding and managing event-goers. Make sure that you know your capacity limits, how to manage this capacity and what to do when those limits have been reached!
Communicate Clearly
Events can be chaotic, fast-paced and stressful for staff, planners and participants. Make sure that clear communication channels are open throughout the duration of the entire event. Consider using radios so that staff members can communicate quickly and effectively, and always ensure that staff know who exactly is in charge of each area and element of the event. In the case of any issues or unexpected problems, quick and clear communication can make all the difference!
When it comes to running a large-scale event, there are many moving parts to consider. Between caterers, performers, ticket-holders, staff teams, rental equipment, setup and teardown schedules, venders and volunteers, event security is not something that you want to be worrying about on-site in the midst of it all. Take the time to consider each of these things in advance, and put your security plan in place. Having professional security staff on site during the event - or before the event in order to undertake an audit and create a plan - is a great way to mitigate risk and focus more on the event itself. If you’d like to know more about having a security team present at your next upcoming event, and what a professional security team can do for you, then let’s talk!
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