Here is a light hearted approach to addressing event security and the relevance to workplace security. When discussing the level of security at your workplace or at an event, both have synonymous meanings to the security expert, the differences being the type of facility and the type of guests. The added value found at the event is a potential gathering of key personnel with their staff from companies promoting a product or assessing the potential value a product or service. Usually they gather to meet others but often to validate the need for a product or service. In any case, we have a gathering of prospective clients from a variety of cities, states and possibly countries who might not want to take the risks.
How willing are key personnel to travel to events or exhibits following September 11, 2001 and the increased sense of security especially essential for key personnel? To attract the right persons to attend events and exhibits, security measures and precautions must consider the concerns of guests who might want to attend but are not certain of the Event Planner’s capability to provide adequate security protective measures.
Travel and event security is another synonymous partnership inseparably linked to any diminished interest and attendance on the part of Fortune 500 firms who do not want to risk the safety and security of their key personnel whose exposure might be an appealing target to terrorists, kidnappers or hostage takers. Event Security and Workplace Security are also tied to Travel Security; all require a Threat Assessment and Risk Plans. Gone are the days of convenient travel and in are the stringent security measures and travel delays. Attendance at events has to have measurable appeal before an investment is made in attending. How confident are event planners in believing that the event is worth the inconvenience without the consideration of any security planning or a security conscious environment capable of addressing most situations including emergency evacuation, crisis communication and emergency preparedness to include hospital and first aid treatment coordination.
Event Planners that do not factor the security needs of key personnel as a value selling point might be missing an opportunity to show the maturity of the event planning process in terms of safety and security. Such oversight might discourage key personnel from attending or firms from sending their representatives. Event planning and security are appealing selling points worthwhile considering that must be exploited in order to provide a workplace environment for the exhibitors and guests that consider their personal safety and security. Long gone is the notion that security is taken for granted by both the potential attendee and the event participants. With an ever increasing security awareness and presence of professional security personnel on staff, key personnel are more aware of potential threats due to risk assessment and the value of attending an event.
To attract the right guests, Event Planners might want to consider integrating security planning with the event planning process. This added feature does not require full time resources but the advice, recommendations and assistance of an expert during the event. Having this resource will enhance the Event Planner’s reputations while bolstering the planner’s image in the eyes of the guests who perceive safety and security assurances. Generally speaking getting the right person to an event probably will entail a threat and risk assessment to convince the target audience of your capability to provide assurances for a safe and secure event.
An event security plan might consider deploying plainclothes security personnel, uniformed personnel at entrances and occasional patrols, access and egress controls, CCTV and public announcement system capabilities, badges for everyone, lockers or storage areas for exhibitor’s personal belongings, parking lot patrols, first aid equipment at strategic locations and trained personnel familiar with the local medical facilities, coordination with local police and fire departments and a hasty emergency preparedness plan for the event specific workplace. These are but a few recommendations you might consider when planning an event and expecting to draw a larger participation. Remember, street level crimes are popular in such settings so access control must be enforced. Personnel issued badges must wear them. Those not wearing them must be challenged. Thefts are not discovered until the perpetrator has left the area, pickpockets love crowded areas, computers grow feet, pocketbooks and carrying cases disappear and cars are stolen.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.
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