Whenever you’re planning an event, security needs to be one of your top priorities. After all, even if you present engaging activities, hire the best speakers in their field, and attract enough attendees to fill the venue, your event will not be considered a success if something goes wrong.
Think about an unruly crowd causing property damage, someone getting injured, or even worse, someone bringing a weapon to carry out an attack. You are responsible for doing whatever you can to prevent these situations.
To keep your guests safe and protect the venue, learning how to increase security for an event is primordial.
Here are seven things you should do.
Learn Everything There is to Know about the Venue
You must familiarize yourself with your event when you book a venue. Above all, you need to be aware of the different entry points of that venue, which will give you a good idea of how someone with bad intentions could get in without using an official entry point.
If your venue is outdoors, you must establish a clear event perimeter so your staff can efficiently control access to the event.
Be sure to Identify Potential Security Risks in Advance
Different events have different security risks. Consider the potential risks that could disrupt your event and carefully assess each.
For example, if your event will occur outside in an area where violent storms are frequent during this time of the year, you need to consider this. And if one of your speakers tends to attract controversy, your security staff will be more likely to deal with angry protestors.
Rely on More Than One Security Measure
Even if you have the best security team in the world, you must rely on various security measures. They will help control who can access your event while ensuring no one tries to bring any prohibited items inside the venue.
Think about surveillance cameras to monitor the event, barriers and fences to prevent unauthorized people from entering the venue, and gun detection technology, which can effectively replace bag checks and detect suspicious behavior.
There should be multiple checkpoints, identification badges for your staff, and a functioning fire alarm system. The more security measures you implement, the better.
Develop and Implement a Comprehensive Security Plan
When you know the venue and the potential security risks you could face, you have all the tools you need to develop a comprehensive security plan for your event.
Write down how you will address the risks you have identified and the steps your security team should take to ensure the safety of all your guests at all times before, during, and right after your event.
Decide how many security staff you should hire and how many physical security measures you want to get. And, of course, more than drafting your security plan is required. If you want it to be effective, share it with your staff, and be sure to implement it.
Remember that despite your best efforts, an incident could still occur during your event. This is why you also need a contingency plan, so you and your team know how to respond to different problematic situations.
Consider Hiring an Experienced Security Team
Even if you expect your event only to attract a small crowd, you should still consider hiring an experienced security team.
You want to be able to trust experts who know how to manage a large group of people and who will not hesitate to exert their authority whenever necessary.
Experienced security staff has been trained to look for weapons, to look out for suspicious behavior, and to respond appropriately to different types of incidents.
Simplify Communication with Everyone Involved in the Event
Effective communication is essential, not only during your event but also while you’re planning it. You need to let your staff know their roles and responsibilities so they will know precisely what is expected of them on the event day.
During the event, you should ensure your staff and the security team you have hired are in constant communication.
You also need to communicate efficiently with your attendees and let them know who they should contact if they ever need help or if they notice something suspicious.
Don’t Forget about Cybersecurity
When figuring out how to increase security for an event, you can’t afford to forget about cybersecurity.
Today, cyber-attacks are always a risk, and you should take measures to prevent data breaches, hacking, and identity theft.
