Create Good Security for Your Convention | Intellex Security

In today's world, providing a comfortable and safe environment for convention vendors and attendees is paramount. With hundreds or thousands of people — often many strangers — milling around and interacting, though, this can be a challenge.

As a convention organizer, how can you improve safety and security for everyone involved? Here are five steps to take before the doors open.

1. Assess Potential Problems

The first step to creating a safe environment is to determine what the most likely potential threats are. Some challenges are generic and could affect any type of convention. This might include things like intruders, theft, cybersecurity problems, natural disasters, or a rowdy crowd.

Other security issues are specific to your particular convention or industry. Are there going to be any controversial speakers or subjects? Is the convention welcome in the community around it? Have there been protests before or trouble between different internal groups? Will there be valuable goods or high-profile individuals?

Preparing for these types of problems often requires more work and decision-making than standard threats.

2. Meet With Venue and Staff

Your first resource is likely the staff and management at the venue in which you're holding the convention. They should have experience in a variety of security challenges at their particular location, including providing and controlling access, moving crowds in the best manner, and where heightened security is more necessary. Use their experience as a tool to create your personalized plans.

Staff and volunteers will be on the front lines of keeping things safe and organized, so communicate with them regularly. Encourage everyone to speak openly and honestly, and provide simple and quick ways to report any problems or concerns.

3. Hire Outside Security

Professional security staff can be particularly valuable if your organization has a lot of volunteers or staff who don't do security work regularly. Hire a security company to provide uniformed guards to patrol both inside and outside the event and provide a visible presence to reassure everyone.

In addition to regular patrols of all public and private convention areas, you may want additional personnel to check ID badges, provide security for VIP attendees, perform some crowd control, and transport valuables (such as ticket money or high dollar items for vendors). Coordinate with the security service about what additional services they can provide.

4. Decide on an Access System

Whatever your convention makeup, you will need some sort of access control system. Most conventions provide simple badges to each attendee and check them at entrance doors. You may choose to have different badges for different days or types of guest. In addition, some badges should provide access to more secure locations, and these badges (or wristbands) should be easily visible to anyone at entrance doors even in a crowd.

In addition to badge access, determine how traffic will flow into, out of, and around rooms within the venue. Where will badges be checked? How and where will certain attendees be granted extra access? Who will have the ability to go backstage, wander into VIP lounges, and work in administrative areas? And how will you control access without slowing down traffic flow and creating hurt feelings?

5. Prepare Action Plans

As you develop your access plan and decide what the most likely emergency scenarios are, prepare detailed response plans. Write down all response plans and go over them thoroughly in staff meetings. Response plans should include general instructions as well as instructions for specific areas or specific threats. The outside security service can help design and review your action plans and provide feedback based on their years of experience.

By planning ahead for the safety of your convention, you will help ensure a smooth event and reduce stress among all staff and attendees. For help with all your Chicago area convention security needs, contact us at Intellex Security today.