When mounting an event, we often take note of the food, the entertainment, the venue, and the attendees first and focus most of our resources and energy towards these aspects. However, what many clients fail to consider is event security, which is just as essential as everything else and actually crucial to its smooth flow and positive attendee experience.
When you think about it, hiring the wrong security service or not getting anything at all is a lot worse than choosing the wrong catering service or not printing enough entrance tickets. It can break everything you’ve painstakingly set in place. This is why during the planning process, security should be a priority — and the budget for it should be foremost on the agenda and not just how much money is left after all other things are considered.
Now that that’s out in the open, it’s time to decide how much security your event needs. Here’s what you should do to prevent any threats to your event’s safety and seamless flow.
- Assess the risk early on
Different types of events require different levels of security. A girl’s sweet-sixteen party’s security needs will be a lot smaller compared to an outdoor concert or a US congressman’s birthday gala. Things that should be considered include the context of the event, who is hosting and promoting it, or if there will be VIPs attending. If the event involves a very high profile attendee, you should also anticipate the presence of media people or protesters.
- Consider the venue
It’s easier to secure indoor venues like hotels, restaurants, function halls, because the points of entry are limited. However, this also means that escape routes will be scarce in case an emergency happens. On the other hand, outdoor venues are tricky because threats can be coming in from all sides. Thus, you will need more muscle and manpower to secure the space.
- Be prepared for an emergency
Setting up your event’s security includes being prepared with an emergency response plan early on — even if there’s no real threat. If you are mounting a large event, you can hire a professonal security agency to provide all the help you need. This is actually better than setting some people up to guard doors and direct the crowd in case of the emergency. Professional security providers are trained for these situations, and some even can perform first aid and CPR.
- Don’t rely too much on tech.
With the availability of fancy gadgets that will help security personnel spot the not, it’s very easy to be wholly dependent on them. Don’t. Security cameras, metal detectors, and the like are nice tools to have, but nothing beats having real security personnel on the ground.
Once you have decided on the security provision for your event, give that team a comprehensive lay of the land so they know how to act indepedently in case something does happen. Meet the entire security team and let them know how your event will be carried out and what equipment you are using, so they can anticipate problems. Finally, when it comes to your event’s security, don’t scrimp on the budget. Set aside enough resources for this part of your planning.
