Top Tips To Minimise Your Event Security Risks
Whether you’re organising an outdoor festival or an indoor charity event, there is always going to be some form of security risk. As the event organiser or planner, one of your top priorities is the safety of attendees, staff and volunteers. This being said, the matter of event security is often overlooked. To host a successful event, attendees need to feel safe and secure while they enjoy your event.
To ensure the best security and safety possible at your event, there are a few things to consider before the venue doors or gates open. Here at Alpha Omega, we know everything there is to know about event security. In this article, we will cover our top tips as well as ways to minimise security risks while still offering the best event experience for your attendees.
1) Identify Your Security Risks
Some may argue that every event has the same security risk. However, each type of event has a slightly different level of security risk. For instance, a festival or concert generally has a higher security risk than an agricultural show because people attending festivals or concerts are more likely to breach event regulations such as the prohibition of alcoholic beverages, drugs and other substances. Once you have identified the security risks that could possibly happen at your event, you are one step closer to minimising them. Some security risks may include theft, violence, terrorism, cyber threats, fire hazards and medical emergencies.
2) Carry Out A Risk Assessment
Once you have identified your security risks, you are ready to carry out a risk assessment. This involves determining the likelihood and severity of each security risk. Next, you will need to develop an emergency response plan to address each identified risk. Make sure to inform and train your staff on how to respond to it. In the event of an emergency, this can include raising the alarm, informing attendees, evacuation of the venue, providing first aid and working with the police and emergency forces.
3) Make Physical Security Measures Visible
With any event, it is vital to have multiple forms of security measures in place such as bag checks, metal detectors, CCTV surveillance or door access control systems to ensure the safety. Some people may think it is better to have hidden security measures but this can do more harm than good. If these security measures are not visible to the audience and the public, troublemakers or agitators are more likely to take action and cause a security risk, which we don’t want to happen.
4) Effective Forms of Communication
Most events usually have large audiences, therefore, effective forms of communication is essential between event organisers or planners, staff, volunteers, attendees and other personnel. Knowing how to communicate with different categories of people at an event effectively and quickly in a time of crisis or emergency can mean the difference between a security risk occurring and preventing it.
Public address systems, two-way radios, mobile devices, mobile messaging apps and social media are the main examples of effective forms of communication in the event industry. This being said, it’s a good idea to have more than one form of communication. For instance, the venue may unexpectedly have no WiFi connection, poor data coverage or mobile signal on the day of the event so public address systems and two-way radios will become the substitute ways of communicating with others. We strongly advise you to identify the most effective forms of communication with your staff prior to your event.
5) Hire A Security Officer Or Security Team
One of the biggest worries for any event organiser or planner is something unexpected to happen at their event. Sometimes, security measures can be hacked or malfunction while the event is taking place, leaving all aspects of security in the hands of you, your staff and volunteers, which can become quite stressful and turn into a nightmare.
While we can’t predict the future, you can hire security officers from an experienced security company to cater for your event. This will help you feel less worried and anxious, allowing you to fully focus on other aspects of the event. Whether 100 people or 15,000 people are attending, one security officer or a whole security team can take this pressure off, giving you peace of mind that your security needs are met and your attendees are in safe hands.
Contact Alpha Omega
Alpha Omega are based in Crewe and our team of security officers have years of experience in providing security at a broad range of events. These include, but not limited to; concerts, festivals, agricultural shows, vintage rallies, fun fairs, and other various events. Whether you need one security officer or a security team, we are your first choice for event security. We work closely with you to personalise our services to suit your event and security needs. We can also offer expert security advice and assist in carrying out security measures and risk assessments.
If you’re interested in our event security services and you wish to discuss your upcoming event security with us, please contact us by making an online enquiry or by calling us on 01270 258881.