If you’ve ever attended one of the large festivals in the Melbourne area such as the Moomba or the Melbourne Latin Summer Festival you’ve probably witnessed a multitude of event security personnel in and around the area. However aside from seeing them in the first instance you might not even notice they’re there as you enjoy your day and have a great time. This is music to the ears of any event security company as it signifies that the day or weekend has been a real success.
You might not realise it (especially if the event goes without a hitch) but there’s a lot of planning and preparation that goes into organising security for a large scale event. So how exactly does event security work and what does it take to plan such an event? Let’s take a look…
Planning stages
Firstly once contact has been made the event security company will need to know a few key details. For instance, they’ll need to have an idea of what type of event is being held. Stereo-typically a heavy metal concert for example might require more security personnel than say a classical music concert. Secondly they’ll need to know how many people are expected to attend. If this is a ticketed event the organisers should be able to give a fairly accurate figure, but if it’s a free event such as the Moomba festival, then it might be a little more complicated. That said, if it’s held every year then rough estimates based on past figures are normally sufficient.
Prior visit
Once they have an idea of the type of event and rough numbers, a delegation from the company will arrange a visit to the venue. Once the event security company see the venue first hand, it makes it easier for them to build up a better picture of the layout. From this the security company can make a detailed plan of potential hazards such as crowd bottlenecks, where the fastest escape routes are should they need to do a complete evacuation, and where the main stage or entertainment area is going to be positioned. They’ll also need to take a close look at all entry and exit points so that they can make sure the right number of security personnel are deployed and are in the right places..
The event itself
On the day itself, the head Security Manager will brief all the personnel so that they know exactly what they’re doing. They’ll also have their own areas of responsibility. This could be controlling entry or exits into or out of the event, taking on mobile patrols in order to monitor unusual crowd behaviour, as well as dealing with any problems should they arise. In addition they might also need to co-ordinate first aid response and the safe evacuation of that person, should they need it. Finally someone from a designated team will also be responsible for reporting back to the head of security who oversees the whole operation.
Successful event security can be the difference between a great and a disastrous event and the difference is in the planning. This is why it pays to choose a company with the experience and knowledge of handling a variety of venues such as student unions, theatres, sporting events and arenas.
At MA Services Group Pty we’ve successfully deployed personnel for a number of smaller and large scale events so we have the capability and the know-how to make your event run like clockwork. Why not contact our experienced team today on 03 9994 4107 and put us to the test!
