If your event is likely to attract a significant crowd, you’ll need a basic event safety plan in place to handle them. Event security isn’t just for big concerts and festivals, it is a way to keep guests and staff safe at parties and gatherings. A good event security team will also help reduce the risk of damage to the venue, keeping those all-important costs down.
Special events come in all shapes and sizes and some need higher levels of security than others. An example of a low profile special event would be one held in a hotel, with little advertising and admission by invitation only. This sort of event would only need a small amount of security. On the other hand, with a high-profile event, the location will make all the difference. There is a world of difference between holding an event in a hotel with a limited number of access points, to a park where the public can come in and out at will.
The amount of security you require will completely depend on the type of event you’re planning, but it should be taken into consideration for any occasion where large crowds will gather.
As a general rule to follow, at least one security guard should be hired for every 10 guests. Numbers will however vary depending on the type of crowd you’re expecting. For example, sports fans are typically prone to emotional outbursts which sometimes spill over into violence. Delegates at a business event on the other hand, are unlikely to cause much trouble. Special security firms can provide a large amount of event security staff, but they’ll need to know how many event attendees you’ll have.
In most cases, it’s fine to hire security at events to simply guard entrances and keep an eye on your guests. But some occasions present higher risks than others, and may require specialist security forces to protect parts of the venue. For instance, protesters might show up if you’ve invited a speaker known for having controversial views. Thinking about this beforehand will allow you to place enough security outside to keep unwanted individuals from gatecrashing your event.