Large crowds are great from the business point of view. If you’re filling up an event or your store with people, it means you’re doing something right. Unfortunately, it also means that you’re responsible for the safety of all your guests. Crowds are a part of many of our daily lives, and we often don’t think of the danger that comes along with them. The bigger the crowd, the more dangerous things can become. People push, others fall and then may find themselves in the middle of a human stampede. Things happen and you won’t always be avoid to avoid an emergency, but there are steps you can take to increase crowd safety and decrease the likelihood of an accident.
Here are 4 tips for improving crowd safety:
- Keep lines orderly: One of the most dangerous times during a large event is when crowds are coming and leaving. People want to get to their seats, or they are in a rush to get to their car and they don’t care that most other people are in the same position. Using ropes or walls to keep lines orderly will help ease the situation. People will feel more comfortable and have less stress if they aren’t being pushed around. Be clear on how guests should enter and leave the area, and if possible, have more than one entrance/exit to decrease the amount of people at each.
- Monitor the temperature: People can get irritable when they are uncomfortable, and monitoring temperature can help increase the comfort of guests. Make sure it isn’t too hot or too cold, and your guests are more likely to be calm and collected. Discomfort can raise the temper of many people, and the last thing you want in a crowded area is a bunch of angry people.
- Communicate: Make sure that there is open communication between everyone working the event. You want employees to be able to communicate with others in the event of an emergency. Use walkie talkies and have meeting places. Hold a meeting before the event to go over protocol and the schedule, and make sure everyone working the event is able to direct guests and answer their questions. Being prepared will make it easier to react if an accident occurs.
- Use security: People are less likely to act out if they think they are being watched. Use cameras or hire security guards to keep watch over the event. Cameras will allow you to watch over the entire event from one place and having guards in place means that you don’t have to worry about not being able to be everywhere at once. Use guards who are trained in crowd safety and security. Having the extra bodies will take a load off of your shoulders and help you enjoy the day just as much as the crowds do.
Whenever and wherever there is a crowd, you must be conscious of the possibility of an accident or emergency. The best thing you can do is be prepared. Sit down before any event that will bring in large crowds and go over entrance and exit points, as well as what to do in case something unforeseen happens.
For more information on how you can use security to increase crowd safety, give us a call at 305-945-5022.
