Special event security planning is a massive undertaking. There is a laundry list of unique requirements & components that must come together for any event to be considered successful. But one of the most important aspects of any large-scale event is contracting with a security guard company that understands the nuances of event security.
Event security officers must be able to maintain and manage large crowds, an already challenging task that is exacerbated when alcohol is served on-site.
An experienced security team must be able to handle situations discreetly and quickly, so the attendees continue to enjoy the event. Because of the risks of potential threats at special events, your security team must be well-trained with experience in risk management, first aid, and crowd control.
But that's just the beginning. In this article, we will discuss:
The first step to ensuring better event security is to make sure your security company is operating in compliance with all regulations within the state where the event is being held.
The next step is convincing clients that your company is capable of handling event security contracts.
Many event planners will look at what events a company has worked on in the past. They will look at things like event type and event size to find a company that is capable and experienced to handle all their event security needs.
This can make winning event security contracts difficult if you are trying to break into the industry. But there are a few things you can do to give yourself opportunities to step into the event space:
Many event venues are large spaces full of multiple entrances/exits, hallways, and hiding places—dozens to hundreds of potential security threats. A pre-event venue inspection checklist is important for your security guards to familiarize themselves with the space they will be working in.
During the pre-event inspection, event planners and their security team should determine all security checkpoints, officer posts, points of concern, and any other special requirements for that specific venue and event.
By going through this event security checklist together, both the event planners and security company can discuss what the best security operation is for the event and set expectations early.
Most events will have local law enforcement officials & first responders on-site for the day of the event, like EMTs or firefighting personnel. In these instances, it’s important that your security team works with local law enforcement to make sure the appropriate teams are familiar with the security operation.
For events that don’t have local officials on-site, there is still potential that they may need to be called in. In this case, the contracted security team should have a plan of action in place that clearly defines how and when a security officer should reach out to these entities.
Event management and staff should review this plan of action prior to the start of the event. All staff members (security and non-security personnel) must be familiar with all safety protocols in case an incident should occur.
One of the most important parts of your event security plan is security management during the actual event. All your pre-work and due diligence are essential to setting you up for success on the day of the event.
This is where your security team needs to be prepared to handle crowd management and monitor for potential threats and suspicious activity.
And don’t forget, one of the most important things you can do is keep the lines of communication open. Your venue security team should be in constant contact about suspicious activity. This will not only keep the event guests safe but your security team too.
After the event, you should debrief both internally with your security guards and with the client to review how the event security went. This exercise allows all parties to see where they were successful and where they could improve.
If an incident occurred that wasn’t handled properly, this is a chance to figure out what went wrong so it doesn’t happen again. The review process also gives supervisors a chance to give kudos to officers who went above and beyond and/or identify security officers who need additional training.
While it may seem like a large undertaking, creating a well-thought-out security plan and executing at a high level ensures everyone has their bases covered. By getting qualifications in order, running through pre-event tactics, working with local authorities, and conducting a post-event review, you can be sure all attendees and hosts will leave happy and safe.
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