When organising an event, seasoned event managers keep security planning at the top of their checklist. It makes sense. Events that expect a crowd of hundreds are likely to face stampedes, fights, panic, and crushes.
Everyone remembers the 2019 Neutro Shorty concert stampede in Caracas, Venezuela, in which four people died and 50+ were injured. There are hundreds of more such incidents reported globally. While there could be many reasons behind them, poor event security planning is one of them.
So, if you’re organising an event, contacting the best security provider should be your priority. QSS is currently the leading security company for crowd control management in Brisbane.
At QSS, our team consists of security experts who are well aware of the safest and best practices for crowd control. We offer customised solutions to our clients based on their event’s specific needs to ensure everything goes smoothly and safely.
The Importance of Effective Crowd Control
Crowds can go out of control anytime, whether it’s a concert or a corporate event. According to a study, there were around 232 deaths and 66,000+ injuries reported in crowd stampedes between 1992 and 2002.
However, experts believe these casualties are under-reported, and the numbers are way greater. In the same study, the researchers estimated that only 1 in 10 crowd injuries in doorbuster sales get reported, while a large chunk of them occurring at rock concerts go unreported.
This means the numbers can be even higher! No wonder the crowd management and event security market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20.8%, reaching USD 10.02 billion by 2035.
Effective crowd control is essential for managing large gatherings to:
- Ensure the well-being of attendees in medical emergencies like heat exhaustion, panic attacks, and dehydration
- Prevent property, infrastructure, or equipment damage
- Reduce the risks of stampedes, crushes, or trampling incidents
- Minimise the risks of fights among the attendees
- Ensure proper evacuation
- Eliminate the risks of unauthorised access, theft, or other criminal activities.
A successful strategy won’t only protect your attendees or property, but also portray your positive image in the market. It will also keep you away from getting into legal waters.
Pre-Event Planning and Assessment
Risk Assessment
Event security planning starts with a pre-event assessment of potential risks specific to the venue and audience size. It includes evaluating:
- Venue-specific Hazards: Different event venues pose unique risks and challenges, which must be addressed in the initial stage. These could be structural dangers, environmental risks (like storms, rains, or snowfalls), access limitations, and factors that may lead to crowd congestion.
- Audience Size Considerations: The audience’s size and demographics significantly impact the nature of potential risks. For instance, large crowds are more likely to cause stampedes or overcrowding. Similarly, events with children or older people will have distinct safety considerations than those with youth.
- Activity-specific Risks: The potential risks also depend on the nature of activities planned for the event. For example, sporting events involve risks of spectator injuries, while concerts have crowd control and weather-related challenges.
These factors give the event security team a clear roadmap for developing the best strategy for crowd control.
Collaboration with Local Authorities
An event security team has to work with local authorities to ensure the perfect execution of their security plan. There is no other way around it.
Here is why this collaboration is important:
- Harmony with Local Law Enforcement and Emergency Services: Working with local law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and emergency medical services fosters harmony between all the security authorities. This leads to more powerful, unified event security and emergency response planning.
- Shared Resources: This collaboration can give event organisers access to leverage resources, expertise, and experience of local authorities. This empowers them to develop more effective contingency plans and response efforts in emergencies.
- Public Confidence: When the public sees the local authorities and event security officers working together, they are more confident about the event’s security. It serves as a reassurance to attendees and stakeholders that they are in safe hands.
Crowd Control Strategies
Physical Barriers and Signage
Whether you’re dealing with a small or large crowd, deploying barriers and clear signage around the premises is essential to prevent overcrowding.
- Barriers: Options such as fences, barricades, and stanchions can guide the crowd’s flow in the right direction. The event security team must strategically place these barriers to create orderly queues and delineate entry and exit points. This reduces the risk of crushes, stampedes, or other crowd-related incidents.
- Clear Signage: Clear signage helps provide directions and convey important information to the attendees about emergency exits or safety zones in emergencies. These should be placed in the right places with clear and concise instructions.
Surveillance and Monitoring
Round-the-clock surveillance allows security teams to identify a crowd incident before it escalates into something huge.
- Prompt Risk Identification: CCTV cameras and drones offer security teams real-time monitoring, giving them a bird’s-eye view of the entire crowd. This allows them to identify potential hazards and detect signs of distress on time.
- Enhanced Response Capabilities: Real-time surveillance also allows security teams to respond swiftly to rising threats. They can effectively deploy resources, adjust crowd control measures, and coordinate response efforts with the local authorities.
QSS Event Security Services: Your Partner in Crowd Management
The QSS crowd control team is well-trained in the safest crowd management methods. We understand that every event is unique, which is why we offer customised security plans for crowd control in Brisbane based on event size, type, and risks.
Customised Security Solutions
At QSS, our security experts sit with every client for a thorough assessment. We ask about their specific requirements for the event and develop their security plan for crowd control in Brisbane accordingly.
A few of our customised features include:
- Implementing entry point checks to monitor access to the event
- Deploying mobile patrols to monitor crowd dynamics
- Keeping additional staff prepared for any sort of mishap in the crowd
Professional Staff and Training
Our security personnel are highly trained in managing crowd-control situations. We polish their skills through rigorous training to enable them to handle diverse crowd scenarios professionally.
Some of our training programs include:
- Crisis management training
- Customer interaction training
- Technological proficiency training
Technological Integration
At QSS, we utilise state-of-the-art technology to strengthen our security for crowd control in Brisbane.
Advanced Crowd Management Technologies
Our advanced crowd management technologies include:
- Facial Recognition: It helps us identify suspicious individuals quickly and improves security screening.
- Crowd Density Analytics: Crowd density analysis allows our security guards to better manage crowd flow and prevent overcrowding risks.
Mobile Apps for Real-Time Updates
Our security solutions keep everyone in the loop, from event organisers and security teams to stakeholders and local authorities. This is made possible through mobile apps, which provide real-time updates on crowd-related issues.
These apps inform everyone of the event’s current situation with timely alerts and seamless coordination. This way, our security teams collaborate easily with the local authorities and respond on time.
Post-Event Analysis
At QSS, our services don’t end with the event; they continue even after it. Our security team performs a comprehensive post-event analysis to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of their crowd control strategies. This helps identify areas for improvement.
We also provide comprehensive post-event reports to our clients to help them make better decisions for future events.
Contact Us Today
Crowd control is a critical part of every event management strategy, whether it’s a small corporate sitting or a big concert.
You should always prioritise hiring a reputable event security service like QSS. Our team of professionals is ready to guide you from the initial assessment to the post-event analysis. All you have to do is contact us and book a consultation.