We already wrote that the slightest mistakes that event managers make when preparing the event can turn out to be big problems for organizers and visitors. The issue of security at events is one of the most relevant. Of course (and fortunately) most of the events take place without serious incidents. And this is not a coincidence, but the result of a well-elaborated strategy for the prevention of emergency situations. A good organizer has always got everything thought-out: even in case of a fire or unexpected natural phenomenon.

Of course, there are situations that cannot be controlled by any event strategy. But professionals are trying to take everything into account: even what a priori cannot happen. In general, developing an event’s security strategy may seem like an overkill. But if the organizing team is ready for everything, chaos will not arise in difficult moments, and the problem will be solved faster.

What do event managers do when working on a security strategy in the process of organizing an event? Regardless of the type of event, they conduct fully comprehensive training.

Безопасное мероприятие

Preliminary measures

  • To begin with, the event organizers team collects contact information of all participants: from phone numbers to email addresses. This list may come in handy in emergency situations.
  • The entire organizing team has a list of emergency numbers that are relevant in the specified location (country, city). This is not only about rescuers and ambulances but also about services that provide power supply and other resources and services.
  • If the event is organized in a high-risk area (for example, a country with unstable climatic conditions), event managers collect copies of participants’ documents with identifying data (mostly passports). This is a mandatory condition, which in case of an incident simplifies the rescue and searching for people.
  • At events with catering (they are the majority), professionals collect information in advance about the characteristics of guests: food allergies, restrictions, chronic diseases. They also know in advance whether there will be people with additional needs among the guests in order to organize the necessary assistance for them. In the process of collecting such information, the problem of personal data confidentiality may reasonably arise. The organizers guarantee confidentiality by collecting guest profiles in sealed envelopes and destroying them immediately after the event. This is one of the examples: they can be different.
  • If it is an off-site event – the organizing team moves to the location in different vehicles. In such cases, possible accidents or breakdowns will not interfere with the event.
  • Well, of course, during the event, first-aid kits are always in the access area (or emergency teams are on duty), as well as equipment for emergency power supply. If any trifle is provided, nothing will unsettle the organizer.

Безопасное мероприятие

Security of large-scale events

For events that take place for a long time and attracting many participants, the organizers prepare an emergency plan. It is taught, repeated and known by all team members. Each organizer knows the location of the nearest clinics, each has emergency numbers, rescuers and police.

Professionals instruct not only the team but also the guests. A shortlist of recommendations on how to deal with threats is often overlooked. Of course: no one wants to start a fashionable event with a boring lecture. In such cases, the alternatives are normally searched: for example, a mobile app dedicated to the event, with a detailed description of the location plan and escape routes.

Other “little things” are taken into account. For example, the amount of alcohol should not be redundant in order to prevent excessive consumption of alcohol and related problems (physical and behavioral).

At all large-scale off-site events, rescuers and a medical team are present. This is a rule that no one ignores. Security is a question that event managers decide along with the preparation of the location, invitation of guests and organization of catering. If the organizing team pays a lot of attention to this, it means that you are lucky with the event contractor.