Plan Ahead For Your Event Security
One of most often overlooked areas of event planning involves security plans. From site evaluations, personnel reviews, to vendor background checks, DPSG can provide you with a comprehensive overview of your strengths and weaknesses, vulnerabilities and possible solutions.
If you are planning to participate in a trade show, for example, it is recommended you take four solid months to bring all the facets together from design, product selection, catalog production, personnel training, display creation, logistics, scripting, and more. As you begin planning for all the process of promoting product and making sales, you want to include security review from the start.
Too many clients call our offices when they are days away from a launch, or a special event that requires security upgrades. Unfortunately, while we can always meet their needs, the costs rise due to last minute bookings, changes, and additional security personnel required to complete all the tasks involved.
Preliminary steps everyone can take are:
- Draft an event overview to address security concerns. This is a brief document which follows the event itinerary, lists the venues, stages, areas of execution where personnel will be and what they will be doing. It should also list the access level required to participate. Some events have VIP areas, backstage passes, and other divisions requiring that attendees are vetted in advance for participation.
- Supply the draft to your security firm and schedule an interview. For example, DPSG will need the locations involved so we can work with any on-site administration and survey for security weaknesses and address them in our quote.
- Once a list of needs has been submitted to your firm, obtain the budget necessary for the security firm to begin their work in earnest. Uniformed guards, or plain clothes personnel may need training specific to your event. Each position assigned will be reviewed with security staff so all contingencies are addressed, from simple screenings to evacuation drills in the event of an attack or natural disaster.
The most fundamental precaution anyone hosting an event can take is to begin this work early. You will save on costs and the contingencies can be streamlined with fewer personnel required. As a former military investigator for serious criminal matters, the owner of DPSG is pre-eminently qualified to determine your needs and supply the necessary security staff.
