When you’re co-ordinating an outdoor event, such as a music festival, a concert or an outdoor art exhibition, it’s important to set up a comprehensive security plan. The safety of all attendees is essential, but that’s not the only reason you need a proper security plan in place. Not only do you need to ensure that the wrong people don’t get in, but also that the people attending don’t spill out into the wrong areas.
The first thing you need to do is set the boundaries of the outdoor space. This will depend on the type of event. If it’s a family friendly daytime event, some smaller, lightweight waist-height fences might be the best option. However, if it’s an evening event which is likely to get rowdier and requires higher level security for an outdoor event, get hold of a higher fencing system, ideally taller than human height. This makes it much harder for people to climb in, and keeps your event secure.
Another important thing to consider is security staff. It may not be necessary for all events, but a good security team can be a good choice for very popular events or those with tickets. Don’t feel as though you need to hire a full team of bodyguards for a small event, but some security guards at the entrance and stationed at various points throughout the outdoor venue can be a good way to make the guests feel more at ease and to stop any trouble.
If you haven’t used a ticketing system, it can be hard to know exactly who will be attending. If it’s important for you to keep track of all attendees, there are now machines which can scan ID when people attend so you can easily keep a record of everyone entering the venue. If it’s just the numbers you want to keep an eye on, give the person on the door a clicker so that they can count the guests in and out so that you don’t go over capacity.
If you’re using fencing or a temporary structure such as a marquee, make sure you have someone stationed on every entrance and make sure nobody has prised the fence panels apart or torn a hole in the marquee fabric in order to sneak in. This might mean having someone patrolling the perimeter of the space to make sure everything remains secure so that nobody’s safety is compromised by anyone entering your event unauthorized.