Event Security Management Guide

This event security management guide seeks to answer your queries relating to event security management. While it suffices to have an extra set of vigilant eyes overlooking a small event, you need to be even more prepared when handling larger events.

How important is security for an event?

In addition to ensuring everyone’s safety and wellbeing, event security is crucial for managing the crowd as well. You need disciplined, trained, vigilant and experienced personnel to manage your event successfully.

If you’re expecting important dignitaries and/or celebrities in the event, you may need to further step up the event security.

Here are some benefits of hiring a professional security company for your next event:

• Keep intruders away: A primary concern of many event organisers is preventing gatecrashes and other attempts to intrude the event. It’s common for uninvited people to turn up at events. They may be there with the sole purpose of disrupting your event. Your security team will ensure no one breaches the perimeters of your security by cordoning off the entire area and implementing separate entry-exit protocols for event organisers, important guests and the rest of the crowd.
  You may also find it useful to set up a walkthrough gate at all designated entry points of the event.
• Important guest security: If you’re expecting important people at the event, you must do whatever it takes to ensure their wellbeing. You may need to depute additional security staff with these guests to keep unwanted people from approaching them.
• Limiting media access: You could be looking to restrict media to a particular section of the event, such as the red carpet area. You may be looking to give exclusive coverage rights of the event to your media partners only. Security professionals can keep uninvited journalists and YouTubers away from certain sections of the event.
• Video surveillance: Video footage can be instrumental in saving you from potential legal disputes that may arise in the aftermath of any untoward incident at the event.
• Crowd control: As discussed earlier, managing charged crowds isn’t the job of amateurs. Things can get out of hand very quickly. You need to be even more careful if you plan on serving alcohol at the event.

How to choose a reliable event security provider?

Here are some simple, step-by-step instructions on choosing a reliable event security provider:

1. Get advice from your friends and peers.
2. Look for a company that has certified security personnel. It’s even better if they have staff with former military or law enforcement experience.
3. Review their work history. Have they handled security for events similar to yours? Are they familiar with the location of the event? Have they covered an event in that locality?
4. Are they registered with any of the security licensing agencies and/or the Better Business Bureau?
5. Are they licensed to handle video surveillance and CCTV camera installation? You don’t want to be dealing with an unlicensed company for such an important project.
6. Line up some candidates and request proposals.
7. Review the contracts and choose the security company that seems to be the best fit for the role, keeping points 1 to 5 in mind.

How to plan event security?

These pro tips will help you in planning the security of your event:

1. Assess the risks.
2. Take visible security measures.
3. Set up security checkpoints at all entrances and exits. Have a walkthrough gate at all event entrance points.
4. Verify IDs at entrance points.
5. Designate separate entrances for staff, media and VIPs.
6. Make proper use of signage to demarcate different sections of the event.
7. Screen staff and media personnel.
8. Set up CCTV and video surveillance.
9. Deploy static and/or mobile patrol to cordon off the outer perimeter of the event.
10. Consider ways to ward off cyber threats.
11. Set up an emergency plan.
12. Inform the authorities.

How much security do I need for a concert?

Some experts recommend a general rule of thumb of one security guard for a crowd of hundred. But it really depends on the type of event you’re hosting and the kind of crowd you’re expecting.

For a charged up crowd of 1000 people, you may need anywhere from 15 to 30 guards.

GPS Security Group is a reliable event security service provider. We have well-trained security staff with former military and law enforcement experience. We are licensed, certified and equipped to handle the security needs of small and large events alike. Contact GPS Security Group for your next event.