3 Elements of Security to Look For in a Convention Venue
Any convention in modern times faces modern security risks. And the venue you choose should help meet those security needs by offering a three-part security plan. Here are the three facets you should look for and what they may entail.
1. Physical Security
The venue itself is the first line of physical defense for your attendees, exhibits, and exhibitors or guests. A venue with solid, well-established security features makes all events much safer than what the event can come up with on its own. The more security the venue has in place, the less you have to plan and pay on your own.
Physical security plans should include foot and vehicle patrols, secured entries and exits, entry/exit security for interior rooms and zones, good lighting, and monitoring for emergencies like fire and gas.
2. Personnel Security
How are the venue's staff and volunteers prepared for security? Do they all have regular training in security areas like recognizing suspicious activities, responding to fire or security alarms, crowd control, and de-escalation of conflicts? How closely will their security staff work with your own people (both volunteer and professional)? What vetting procedures do they have for their own personnel and vendors?
Your security department and plans should work as a complement to what the venue already has established. You shouldn't feel like you have to make up for deficiencies, but rather that you have a valuable resource in the venue's security personnel.
3. Cyber Security
Increasingly, conventions are a risk point for data theft, identify theft, and theft of the large amounts of money passing through hands. Talk to your venue about their data protection methods, including physical server security, encryption, password protection, access control, and monitoring of activity during the convention. They should also be able to work with you to create standards for exhibitors and attendees' access to the internet and a secure WIFI network.
If your convention staff aren't sure what to look for in a venue's cybersecurity plan, work with an independent contractor who can assess it for you.
Where to Start
As you visit and assess potential convention locations, look for these three features of a good site security plan. Target your particular needs within each category based on the type of goods, exhibitors, and attendees you expect. If you will host VIPs, for instance, physical security may be more of a concern. However, a technical conference may be more interested in cybersecurity.
The more you learn about each venue's existing plan and how they will tailor it to your needs, the easier it will be to choose a great location and have a successful convention. Keep these security tips in mind when looking to host at a convention venue, such as The Crane Bay Event Center.