Cyber security is a hot issue in the industry, but recent terrorist incidents have moved physical security to the forefront. How can planners step up their game to ensure the safety of their attendees?
During the Lanyon Live “Security Issues and Concerns at Events” panel, moderated by Patrick Mendoza, director of corporate communications for Lanyon, the situation was addressed by three experts in the field: Bill Humphrey, deputy chief of the Dallas Police Department; Paul Lambert, president of the Dallas Marathon; and Hector Mastrapa, vice president insurance/safety and security, Americas for Marriott International. Following are a few key takeaways:
- Mastrapa: We want meeting planners to share with us who’s coming in. Are there any activists targeting your organization? How do we make sure we have the resources to deploy to have a successful event without incident? With proper planning, we can tighten up that ring of security.
- Lambert: In a marathon, you try to protect where the main congregations of people are, and that can even be a mile or two miles before the finish line. On the sports side, after the 1989 Super Bowl, stadiums and arenas have extensive procedures in place to protect guests. We need to continue to put the right procedures in place and partner with local police.
- Humphrey: When planning any event you have to ask all of the “what if” questions and plan for them or you’ll come up short.