The National Protective Security Authority, or NPSA, has produced new guidance that helps to highlight the main security concerns and provides various strategies to reduce the risks at high risk crowded venues such as arenas and stadiums, shopping malls and nightclubs, for example.
Crowds can become targets of terrorist attacks, especially during events at popular venues. This can include stadiums, concert venues, exhibition centres, theatres, nightclubs, shopping malls, theme parks and temporary sites or single events such as festivals. The entry and exit points are particularly vulnerable because the start and finish times of events are usually predictable, as are the locations in the vicinity of the venue where there will be increased crowds due to people entering and leaving.
In the case of both ingress and egress from a venue, the problem centres around the congregation of people who are vulnerable to attack in areas where there are limited safety and security measures in place. This is particularly relevant in areas that may be outside the direct control of the venue. Keeping people safe during the ingress and egress phase of a venue’s operation is a security challenge.
Add to that the complications of long queues, checking tickets, bag searches, etc, and the need to identify the vulnerabilities and control or manage the risks becomes clear. Being prepared is key to combating any threat. Hostile actors may identify the entry and exit points at a venue as ‘soft targets’ if security is poorly developed.
According to the new NPSA guidance the key is to: understand the potential threats, identify vulnerabilities during entry and exit times, mitigate the risk, and finally – record, test, review and revise the plans and procedures.
The profile of the audience, location of the venue, the space available, the landscaping around the area – are just some of the factors that need to be considered when devising a plan. The NPSA guidance provides pointers to help keep people safe and secure, from basic changes to the venue operation, through to more complex security led design approaches.
This NPSA guidance is about planning and preparation to make sure people visiting venues and attending events remain safe, especially during ingress and egress, which are particularly vulnerable to attacks.
