Vicki Johnson & Associates

While the odds of being a target in an active shooting incident or terrorist attack are low, event planners have a responsibility to enact security and safety standards for their events, especially when they involve controversial clients such as energy or environmental organizations.

Because many conference venues and hotels have contingency plans in place for situations involving acts of foreign or domestic terrorism, meeting planners might feel like they are covered; however, while we can certainly utilize a venue’s evacuation procedure and security enforcement, we must also have our own strategies in place to ensure the safety of our attendees.

Imagine a scenario in which a building hosting your event needed to be evacuated. As an event planner, what would you do once you were evacuated. Would you know where to find your attendees and staff? Would you have a system for accounting for your attendees?

If you answered no to these questions, here’s a good place to start when considering event security:

Safety Steps for Conferences, Meetings and Special Events

• Require Registration Badges at the Venue
  • Call for The Removal of Badges Outside of Venue
• Include a Request for Emergency Contact Information on Registration Forms
• Provide Active Shooter Training & Disaster Management Training for Your Staff
• Create Evacuation and Communication Plans for Your Staff
  • Designate Safety Roles for Different Staff Members
  • Establish Clear Chain of Command
  • Generate Plan for to Account for Staff & Attendees
• Consider Hiring Private Security for Your Event
  • Propose a Mix of Uniformed and Non-Uniformed Security Officers
• Closely Follow News and Weather Updates

Whatever type of event that you’re planning, it’s important to consider these safety and security tips so that you can be ready for whatever comes your way. You have an obligation to your staff, your clients, and your attendees.

At Vicki Johnson & Associates, we can take care of everything from temporary meeting & event staffing to event logistics and supplier management . Keep an eye on our blog for the upcoming articles in our Risk Management & The Event Industry series and be sure to read the first article in the series, which presents a Cybersecurity Checklist for Event Planners.