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By: Gary Stevens, CMAA - Saco, Maine High school athletic administrators who enjoy the good fortune of a top-notch indoor or outdoor venue on their campuses understand that with that reward come a variety of challenges. Athletic facilities that boast a large seating capacity, modern concession and rest room amenities, and a high-tech scoreboard and message center are attractive to state athletic association personnel as venues for tournament play. As a result, athletic directors who utilize these arenas or stadiums on a regular basis find themselves hosting events that are much more complex to manage than the typical Friday night home contest. In addition to hiring game personnel and preparing those facilities to accommodate large crowds, appropriately securing the event, particularly in today's challenging political, cultural, and social environment, is part of that equation. The term "security", as referenced below, is an all-encompassing concept that is clearly part of an athletic director's duties in organizing and hosting education-based sports programs. In addition to the requirement of working to the nth degree to address the safety needs of all participants, coaches, officials, game personnel, and spectators, athletic administrators should examine all aspects of the game-day experience and plan to (a) address any specific needs that may occur and (b) anticipate solutions to problems that could potentially arise, particularly with a large crowd in attendance. Planning, preparation, and proper execution should be the focus from the time that a school agrees to host an event through the moment that the last participant leaves the venue. Game-day security is always contextual; in other words, there is no "one size fits all" approach to managing this essential aspect of contest management. However, there are a number of general principles that are applicable across the board and that an athletic administrator can apply based upon the specifics of the facility that he or she manages and the type of activity that is being hosted. The following menu of ideas is offered as a "ten-step process" that can facilitate effective pro-active planning serve as a general outline that can lead to a positive experience for all involved in an event. The "Ten-Step Process" for Security Planning at Large Scale High School Athletic Events Step 1: Forming a Security Planning Team Perhaps the most important component in the overall scheme for managing security at a large-scale event is identifying the key players who will be part of the game management team. When it comes to creating a security plan for a championship event or a contest in which a large attendance is anticipated, no athletic administrator works in a vacuum. He or she should assemble a group of individuals, each of whom has a specific expertise that can contribute to the overall cause. Among the individuals that may be part of this group are:
This team should meet multiple times in the weeks leading up to the event to (a) identify potential problem areas and solutions, (b) understand the role that everyone plays on the team during the contest, and (c) pinpoint resources required to successfully manage the event. The athletic administrator should prepare checklists for the event and identify who is responsible for each task. Furthermore, it can be helpful to utilize visual tools, such as campus maps or overhead photographs, to communicate information with the group. Given that a well-attended high school athletic event of several thousand people coming to one's community can have a significant financial and social impact, it is important to share information about the event with neighbors and vital community partners, such as the mayor's office or the area chamber of commerce. The local municipal government can oftentimes assist the school by publicizing the event on its website or through portable message boards, thus communicating potential traffic snags. Furthermore, the local town hall may be able to offer valuable input about the number of police officers that would be advisable for securing the size of the crowd expected and the placement of those personnel within the facility. Step 2: Determining Parking Needs No aspect of security and game-day planning is more fundamental, and yet can lead to more frustration for spectators, than availability of parking. Part of the pre-game security protocols involves identifying the parking capacity of a facility, including striped and non-striped slots, handicapped locations, and areas for emergency vehicles such as police cruisers and rescue units. Having an organized route for guiding traffic into and out of the facility is of paramount importance, particularly at the end of the contest and when it becomes necessary to evacuate the complex. Athletic administrators may find themselves having to utilize auxiliary parking areas during a major event to accommodate large crowds. If the parking lot is a significant distance from the school campus, it may become necessary to provide a shuttle service to accommodate spectators. Keeping remote areas secure may require additional personnel to keep an eye on vehicles that are parked there. Step 3: Building the Game Day Security Staff Just as assembling a talented team that exhibits "out of the box" thinking is critical for designing security plans, putting together a competent game day staff is essential for implementing that plan and making needed adjustments or corrections as necessary. Included in that staff are:
Each one of these individuals plays a critical role in ensuring the safety and security of all individuals attending or participating in the event from the moment that the first person arrives at the school campus to when the last individual leaves. For the purposes of visibility and to assist any customer needs, these personnel should be clearly identifiable in terms of their uniform or game day attire. They should have strong interpersonal skills, but also be observant for any individuals or activities that are out of the ordinary. Their roles should be clearly communicated in writing and part of the overall game day security plan. Step 4: Checking the Infrastructure and Screening the Entry Areas Prior to any event, it is important to conduct a site walk to inspect the facility for safety and security concerns. This process includes checking the planking of all spectator seating as well as any aisles. It also requires an inspection of the areas underneath the bleachers for stability and to ensure that any unsafe conditions are remediated. Areas that pose a hazard for pedestrians should be cordoned off to prevent wanderers from encountering them. Protecting the entry point to an athletic venue is one of the most important facets of game day security. Police officers or other security personnel should be near the ticket booths and gate entrances and should be authorized to deny access to any individuals whose attitude or behavior may pose a threat to the safety of those inside the facility. Other front line personnel, such as ticket sellers and takers, program vendors, and concessionaires, should report any suspicious individuals to a member of the game day security staff. Many communities, particularly those in urban areas where there may be a heightened awareness of crime or violence, have utilized more sophisticated methods for restricting gate access. The use of tools such as metal detectors and wands has found its way to high school athletics. An athletic administrator electing to utilize such technology is advised to check with local school authorities prior to implementing it as part of the game day security plan. Step 5: Protecting the Money Invariably, large-scale high school athletic events involve the transfer of significant sums of money between spectators and personnel involved in the contest. Among the types of transactions that typically occur are:
The athletic administrator in charge of the event must be cognizant that the areas where these types of operations occur are subject to theft or other dishonest activity from both external and internal sources. Furthermore, game-day personnel involved in these sales are among the most vulnerable stakeholders and must be protected to whatever degree possible. The following suggestions may serve as a deterrent to theft and protect both the money collected during an event and the people who handle it:
Step 6: Communicating the Plan to Participants and Officials Essential security planning details, such as egress routes and shelters (in the event of inclement weather) should be communicated in advance of the event to coaches of participating teams as well as game officials. Athletic administrators are advised to meet prior to the contest with game officials to communicate the chain of command in the event that an emergency requires that the event be interrupted or terminated. At the same time, the process for providing officials with an orderly, secure egress route to their locker areas should be identified to prevent irate or unruly spectators from confronting a member of the crew. Step 7: Establish a System of In-Game Communication A key to effective in-game communication among game day personnel is ensuring that everyone has the appropriate tools to perform this essential task. The athletic director in charge of the event should provide two-way radios to those game personnel that require them. All communication should be made in plain English and should avoid the use of code words or other terms that might be quickly forgotten in the heat of the moment. To ensure security for privileged communication, face-to-face or cellular phone contact may be preferable to avoid unauthorized personnel from obtaining information not intended for them. Step 8: Evacuating Planning Part of the game-day safety plan should include procedures for evacuating the facility for emergencies, such as lightning or other weather-related events. This plan should be organized in writing and communicated in advance to all parties, including game day personnel, participants, coaches, and officials. A key person (usually the athletic administrator) should be identified to initiate the process, if necessary. The game announcer should be provided with a script to inform all spectators and participants of egress patterns and shelters in the event of an emergency. If the facility has a message board, information about evacuation protocols should be pre-set and played to assist hearing-impaired people and visual learners. Step 9: Exit Strategies Whereas the process of entering a venue prior to a major event may take place over an extended period of time, leading the crowd to enter in small rivulets, the egress from the facility may take place as a massive torrent in which a large group of people attempts to exit all at once. Athletic administrators should work to ensure that the exit goes as orderly as possible and utilize best practices for controlling the flow of the crowd, such as:
It is important to remember the psychological phenomenon known as the "recency effect". Just as individuals form important first impressions about a school or organization when they enter a facility for the first time, they also remember their last experience as well. Having an orderly plan to help people leave the complex will make them feel safe and be comfortable when coming to one's school again. Step 10: Debriefing and Process Improvement Although any athletic administrator in charge of a large-scale on-campus event breathes a sigh of relief when the parking lot is finally empty, there is still a great deal of important work to do. In fact, the process of implementing the security plan for a large-scale event does not end when the last spectator leaves the facility. Hosting a major athletic event represents an opportunity to critically examine game day planning and execution procedures, a facility's infrastructure, and the capacity of the event staff to manage the mass of people actually in attendance. It is prudent to reconvene the game day security team to debrief in the days or weeks after the event. The group should identity what went well and what opportunities existed for improvement. A person in attendance should record minutes of the meeting and distribute them to everyone in attendance. A copy should be kept on file – either electronically or in hard copy (or both) for reference in the event that the school is asked to host the same event or a similar type of activity. The lessons of the past are important for preparing for success in the future. |
Security Planning for Large-Scale Events: A Ten-Step Process [NIAAA]
