Hiring professional security for large events and gatherings is a necessity these days. Organizers prefer expertise and trained guards rather than domestic ones. Thus. Demand is increasing daily because of the varied services these agencies provide.
Event security companies provide services like providing on-field guards, crowd management, background checks of the attendees, screenings, etc. Its main motto is to provide all security & safety services under one umbrella. However, it is not easy as customer requirements keep on changing.
If it is a small gathering, the work is efficient; however, during large gatherings of people like concerts or festivals, there are certain challenges that event security companies face. In this article, you will learn all the trips and [practices you need to follow to overcome these challenges.
Challenges Faced By Event Security
A lot of challenges always complement public events. Due to the vast population and varied activities, mishaps are bound to happen. The personnel need always to be vigilant of the surroundings.
Crowd Management
Crowd management is one of the main functions of security; however, it can also become a great challenge. The guards have to deal with different types of people, and not all of them cooperate. Especially if it is a young crowd, they are difficult to manage.
Emergencies
When there is a large crowd, there are possibilities of people falling ill or getting injured. It’s crucial for security personnel to create a plan for people who encounter medical emergencies and to keep an eye out for people who might be injured during the event or are showing any signs of illness. These medical emergencies may also depend on the demographics of the crowd present there.
Threats And Vandalism
The venue is also a determinant of the security that is needed. Security guards need to be on their toes to ensure that nobody vandalises the site or damages it. At large events, small thefts are also frequent, though most of the time, a small group of people are the culprits. Security personnel should still be on the lookout for and chase down potential vandals and thieves.
Major Threats/Incidents
The big-scale events always gave a threat of major incidents. Major disruptions are mostly unrelated to the occasion. Security personnel should have a plan of action to handle any significant incidents, whether a peaceful protest or violence or an act of terrorism.
5 Tips To Minimize The Risks For Safety Guards
The challenges faced by these guards have been mentioned above. It is clear that threats, emergencies and crowd management are major challenges. Additionally, if alcohol is involved in the vent, it adds to the possible problems that may arise. Here are a few practices that the agencies need to imbibe to minimize potential risks.
1. Do A Background Check On All Attendees
Background checks provide a good idea about the person and whether he/she is a threat to the event. Try to do a background check of as many guests as possible. Of course, you can’t check the history of every ticket purchaser. But you should be aware of possible risks.
People buying many tickets in bulk is also suspicious. This could be a protester purchasing tickets for other people disrupting the event. People believing in contrasting ideologies or political beliefs should be avoided if it is a political event. This can be known only by verifying the guest list.
2. Study The Venue Properly
You need to be aware of the venue’s entrances and exits. Any openings that could be accessed other than actual entrances are threats. This might be an exterior window or a back door.
To provide the team with a visual understanding of the venue, create a useful diagram that you can share. Accordingly, assign areas to the personnel and cover all the venue’s ins and outs.
3. Efficient Communication System Among The Guards
Quick and effective communication among the guards is essential. All of them should be connected and be aware of the activities happening. Ensure that every employee has a walkie-talkie.
The staff must communicate constantly. They should report directly to the higher authority in case of emergency or mishap. The communication system should not only be between the security staff but also between the host and event organizers. They need to be immediately informed of the activities.
4. Control And Manage The Crowd
The probability that something will go wrong increases with the size of the crowd. Staff members must feel confident in leading large groups and use their authority whenever necessary.
It is also necessary to ensure that the number of guests does not exceed the limit. It will make management of the crowd even harder. While crowd managing, the guards can do the following things:
- Segregate the guests as per the tickets at the entry itself in case of public events.
- Don’t allow attendees to metre the staff-only areas
- Properly organise all the entry and exit lines to leave no person unnoticed
- Appoint guards in all possible crowded areas to help in an emergency.
5. Be Prepared For Major Threats
Armed security staff are preferable for larger events because large crowds make an easy target. Do scanning of bags and bodies at the entry for all guests. A list of prohibited items that can not be permitted inside the venue should also be included.
All weapons and specific chemical substances will fall under this category. Guards must be extremely vigilant to notice abnormal or suspicious behavior and take action to prevent any mishap.
The guards should also cover the area around the venue. They are potential places for attacks, burglary, or another theta to the guests.
Conclusion
Event security is a major need for public events. They always carry potential risks and can be handled only by professionals. However, your guards should also be constantly vigilant and follow the tips mentioned earlier, like strong communication, preparedness, accessing the nooks and corners of the venue, knowing all the attendees, etc.
If these practices are taken care of, you may reduce the risk at the procession. The article also discusses the challenges that safety guards face and provides solutions to them. Going through the article, you might have got all your doubts cleared.
