Sports event safety

When the fans at a basketball stormed the court a week ago causing a dangerous situation, the need to review security measures for games and events surfaced. The most important thing with event security is preparation. It is of vital importance to work through the venue, understand the entry and exits, know the number of fans attending, know the fan behavior and review possible problems and responses. This is obviously a daunting task, and when added on top of all the other duties for hosting an event, it can be easily overlooked or forgotten. Not taking the time to review safety protocols and protocols can have devastating consequences.

 

There are a number of factors to consider when thinking of event security and each one needs to be analyzed. Once the particular event venue is mapped and understood, administrators can then work on developing criteria for staffing, safety, response and evacuation. Just like every event venue is different, so is every problem. Weather related incidents have a different response than fan violence or crowd control. The important thing to keep in mind is to take the time to review situations and develop a response plan. Working with other event coordinators, coaches, police, security and medical personnel can help get a broader view of what the potential problems are, and what some of the potential solutions are.

 

Once the first 2 steps of understanding the venue and crafting a response protocol have been accomplished, the next step is to share that information with all the individuals that are involved in the event. Everyone who has a role to play needs to know what their role is and how to do it. Having a policy and procedure manual is an important reference and first step, but take it further and have individual responsibilities included, as well as setting up drills and simulations. The more simulations and walk throughs that are performed when there is not an emergency situation will improve the response and reaction for when there is one.

 

Athletic Business is a great resource for athletic administrators and they have created a new security magazine that specifically addresses common concerns and some ways of dealing with them. The NCS4 is also a great resource for event security management. These resources can be invaluable for creating a comprehensive plan to keep all the stakeholders of an event safe.

 

The following link to some specific safety concerns to start your safety preparedness.

 

http://www.athleticbusiness.com/event-security/ensuring-safe-sports-venues-starts-with-event-staff-screening-training.html

http://www.athleticbusiness.com/stadium-arena-security/court-storming-is-there-even-a-solution-br.html

http://www.athleticbusiness.com/recreation-outdoor-security/developing-better-evacuation-plans-through-simulation-modeling.html

http://www.athleticbusiness.com/stadium-arena-security/how-to-prevent-fan-violence-at-sporting-events.html

http://www.athleticbusiness.com/stadium-arena-security/drones-emerging-as-security-threat-at-domestic-sporting-events.html