How to Be Prepared for Crowd Control
If you're hosting a home wedding, or you're a shop owner planning a mega sale, or maybe a band staging a concert in the park (with the Parks Department's permission, of course), you will need to learn about crowd control. An ounce of prevention truly is worth several pounds of cure. Crowd control is more about careful planning than trying to exert some control over a crowd that has already gathered. There are many things to consider before people arrive to ensure a safe and successful event. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Uniforms for volunteers
- Off-duty police (optional)
- Barricades and ropes
Instructions
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Plan the space. Close off any areas that are reserved for volunteers or employees only with barricades or ropes. You can enhance your space plan with clearly printed signs indicating where people are supposed to be for each activity or time period.
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Use uniforms or at least matching color shirts for all personnel so they stand out easily.
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Play zone defense. Position volunteers or employees at regular intervals so guests or customers never have to travel far for questions. Train your staff in crowd flow and management. They will need to keep walkways open and prevent backups at critical areas.
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Hire off-duty police officers. Contact your municipal police department or county sheriff for contacts and restrictions. Off-duty events represent a good source of income for many officers. Departments know this, so many have programs that make it easy to contact and hire officers who pursue that kind of work.
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Try to stagger your schedule of events to prevent an overwhelming rush at one time, and overstaff areas where guests or customers are arriving so everyone knows where to go immediately. That way, they will not clog up the entrance area.
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Give outside staff direct-connect phones or two-way radios to communicate with at least one point person inside.
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Devise a clear exit plan. This is not just for shepherding people out when the event is over. You'll also need to prepare for any emergencies or a dispersal order from police if your event draws complaints.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep first aid supplies handy.
Plan ejection procedures ahead of time, and stick to them. Unruly guests greatly compromise the safety of your event.
Give a cheat sheet with emergency numbers to every staff member.
Never try to eject somebody alone. Always do that with a partner.
