With 55% of event organizers reporting that safety is a top concern with in-person events, according to Ingo, taking a holistic approach to event security is the best way to ensure every event runs smoothly and safely. In the past few years, the COVID-19 pandemic and recent event fatalities caused by a lack of proper security measures have resulted in more people demanding more security at the events. Evaluating gaps in security plans and creating a strong plan with interconnected systems will help ensure events run smoothly and safely.
A holistic security approach is more complex than a standard approach. Holistic security integrates multiple different elements to keep an organization or event safe. Using this approach to security helps protect all pain points at an event including physical, software, network, and human exposure. Physical pain points include threats to personnel, the facility, and supporting infrastructure. A software pain point is the risk of compromised information online while network pain points include the threat to how things are connected within the event. An example of pain points for human exposure are the spread of illnesses among attendees.
The term “holistic” on its own means “incorporating the concept of holism, or the idea that the whole is more than merely the sum of its parts, in theory or practice”, according to Dictionary.com. When incorporated into event security, holistic implies forming a more well-rounded and foolproof plan to secure an event from potential threats.
A holistic security plan involves the integration of different types or levels of security that enables a better understanding of vulnerabilities, allowing for more effective protection against several threats. A more basic security plan could mean that not all vulnerabilities are considered. Basic security plans also usually fail to integrate all systems successfully.
For security to be classified as holistic, separate areas of security must be working together. Techtarget.com gives examples of how systems can work together to provide a fool proof security plan:
When these aspects work with one another they form a more solid defense against security threats whether that’s theft, crime, gate crashers, or other unforeseen crisis events.
Today, security solutions are more than just hiring security guards for an event. Security has evolved into managing a wide range of devices, applications, and countless types of threats using innovation and agility. Building a multi-faceted security plan that is tailored for a specific event will give more peace of mind to the event planner, staff, and guests in knowing that every aspect of security has been considered.
The first step in creating a holistic security plan is to prepare by evaluating what was done in the past and what needs to be changed. Identifying gaps in how elements of the event security are connected can help identify possible risks that need to be addressed. Next, steps must be taken to fix these gaps to ensure all elements are connected and can work in collaboration. The third step is ensuring communication is fluid throughout all channels of communication. Creating a plan on how to mitigate any potential risks, vulnerabilities, and hazards is the last step and creates preparedness for any security breach.
At SecurEvent Solutions we offer event services in security design, planning, and management to give event organizers the ability to ensure all elements of security are integrated and secure. Our full-service offerings include operational planning, design & support, policy creation & review, event & security managers and unparalleled access to event security resources to create a multi-faceted approach for events of all types and sizes.
Contact us at jfield@secureventsolutions.com to learn more about the services we offer!