Importance of Crowd Management
For most event organizers, success is calculated on the number of patrons in attendance. We commonly see this as a measurement in the media following an event. However, crowd mishaps and disasters can quickly change that narrative and measure of success. To prevent issues, crowd safety must be established as a priority from the earliest stages of the planning cycle.
Three components of a well-rounded crowd management plan are design, information and management.
Ignoring design during the earliest planning stages could result in otherwise preventable crowd hazards. Subsequent attention applied to the information and management components will be focused more on compensating for poor design, rather than supporting a comprehensive crowd safety plan.
Crowd management is not the same as crowd control
Crowd control is essentially a reactive approach in dealing with crowd issues by directing people from point A to B. In contrast crowd management is a proactive approach that involves identifying potential risks in the planning stages and designing a complex system that can influence crowds so that issues can be mitigated. Of course, given the variety of emergencies that can occur, not every crowd issue can be predicted 100% of the time. However, a proper crowd management plan can help reduce some of the negative impacts caused by poor emergency planning and design.
Why is crowd management required?
Organizers know the level of dedication required in the planning stages with the goal of attracting guests and maximizing the positive customer experience. Guests arrive taking for granted that their safety and security has also been taken into consideration in the planning stages. Courts have also supported this obligation.
Adequate attention to crowd management is too often neglected. Large-scale events often experience crowd issues, but they are seldom reported. It is not until public safety, injuries or deaths occur that attention is focused through the media. Unfortunately, there are more than enough incidents of crowd disasters that organizers cannot ignore their occurrence.
A Crowd Management Professional brings another level of expert support to an event by identifying and providing solutions to potential crowd risks that are often overlooked by the untrained. Addressing these safety concerns will not only enhance the customer experience, but it can also demonstrate due diligence during any event review.
Can my security provider offer this service?
Many security companies will claim they can provide crowd management services. Remember that crowd control is not crowd management. While some companies may make this claim, most of their “professionals” are untrained and their experience is more focused on reacting to problems or providing a basic crowd direction service. They lack the specialized training and tools that supports a comprehensive crowd management system – from start to finish – that adheres to proven crowd management principles.
There are numerous examples, recent and historical, where crowd disasters have resulted from poor crowd management. Additionally, there are many external factors to consider that impact mass gatherings that are often not considered by a security professional.
What are the considerations in crowd management planning?
A well-designed crowd management plan developed by a trained Crowd Management Professional with the proper education and experience integrates design, information and management in supporting crowd safety. Plans also address the three phases of an event which are ingress, circulation and egress during regular and emergency situations. Comprehensive plans take into consideration the intricacies of critical elements including, but not limited to:
Routes - crowd flows along ingress and egress routes
Area - safe capacities for functional areas in and around a site
Movement – calculated flow rates for ingress and egress and movements through a larger site with multiple competing venues
Profile – how crowd behaviours are influenced by audience demographics and a wide range of event characteristics
Queuing systems and how design impacts crowd flow and patron expectations
Potential areas of congestion
Effective communications
How emergency situations impact crowd behaviour.