Event Safety Tips

Although event safety has always been something that is necessary, lately the incentive to have a safe and well-managed event is even higher. With tragedies like the Las Vegas shooting taking us unawares, event safety is on the forefront of everyone’s minds. Attendees of a large event will appreciate seeing things like metal detectors, security, and on-site emergency medical services. As an event organizer, you have many tasks to juggle, but making event safety a top priority will allow everyone to rest a little easier and enjoy the event. Even better than having a fun event, is having an event where everyone from the attendees, to the staff members, to the talent, get home safely. Large events such as races, sporting events, concerts, and community events can be more challenging because of the sheer volume of attendees. These large events require trained staff such as security and emergency medical personnel on site. Below we will discuss some safety tips for your large event.

Have a Site Safety Plan

First things first, you need to examine your venue to see if there are any potential hazards. Are there cords that present a tripping hazard strewn about? Is there anything blocking the emergency exits? Is all of the equipment in good repair? Having a safety professional do an inspection of your venue before the event is a great way to bolster event safety. In addition to this, it is important to have a recognized chain of command and safety protocol for staff in case of emergencies. This can save a great deal of time if an emergency occurs. You should also consider things such as where security is going to be stationed, where the medical area will be, and how long will it take for an ambulance or the fire department to arrive, should their assistance be required. These are all things to consider before the event ever takes place.

Be Prepared for Emergencies

Being prepared for any and every emergency can be a challenging task because the possibilities of bad things that could happen at a large event are almost endless. Although it is a big job, It is extremely important to spend some time on this and to consider and plan for any foreseeable threats. Terrorist attacks such as active shooters and bombings are, unfortunately, a thing that every large event should take into consideration. In addition to these more sinister human threats, there are things like natural disasters as well as injuries and life-threatening situations to take into account. It’s important to have a plan in place in case a serious medical emergency arises. While we cannot plan for everything, we can still do our best to be ready for anything.

Attendee Screening

Another important part of event safety is attendee screening. Screening guests before they ever enter the venue is a proactive and extremely effective security measure. This becomes even more vital if the event is free, since many free events allow anyone and everyone to walk in off the street without any sort of pre-screening process. An integral part of attendee screening is having bag checks and metal detectors. Checking bags is a way to prevent unwanted objects and substances such as non-metallic weapons, alcohol, and drugs.

Metal detectors, whether they are walk-through or hand-held, are a staple in event safety because they give security the ability to catch concealed metallic weapons such as handguns and knives that could pose serious risk to event attendees.

Trained Security

Having well-trained security staff is essential for event safety. Security personnel should be equipped with radios and provided with a site map so that they are aware of the locations of all restrooms, exits, and concession stands, as well as where medical services are located. In addition to this, if there are multiple activities taking place on the premises, they should have a schedule of when and where each activity is taking place.

Keeping an open line of communication with security is important. Security personnel should be in contact with, and answer to, a member of your team who you have designated to be the security manager. This clear understanding of who is in charge will eliminate confusion and help things to run much more smoothly.

Emergency Medical Personnel

No matter how well you plan an event, medical emergencies can always occur. Whether it is a person suffering from heat exhaustion at an outdoor event on a hot day, a person falling and breaking their leg, or an attendee going into cardiac arrest, having on-site emergency medical services is crucial. A team of certified emergency medical technicians can provide immediate medical care as well as basic life support before the ambulance or fire department arrive. Having EMS on-site to administer immediate CPR or AED can mean the difference between life and death in certain cases, where seconds count. Keep in mind that different regions may have slightly different protocols regarding on-site EMS for large events. Be sure to comply with regulations for your city, county, and state for on-site EMS.

Approachable On-Site EMS

Another aspect to having an effective medical team is ensuring that the team is friendly and approachable. It’s important to remember that uniformed personnel can be intimidating. Attendees should feel comfortable approaching first responders with their concerns and emergencies.

Need Help With Your Event Safety?

Event safety is an involved process and can feel a bit daunting at times. With so many potential things that could go wrong, it is important to enlist the help of professionals. We are here to guide and assist you through the process. Safety is our specialty. Pro Safety & Rescue inc. offers a variety of safety solutions including On-Site Emergency Medical Services, safety program development, safety inspections to assess your venue or existing safety plan, and much more. Contact us now to see how we can best serve you to ensure that your next large event has the utmost in safety and On-site EMS.

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