5 Steps To Improve Safety at High School Sporting Events

A high school sports game won’t be a good time unless fans feel safe and protected. Learn about the five steps to improve safety at high school sporting events.

Limit the Items You Bring to the Game

When people come to a sporting event, they may want to bring big backpacks, bags, and other items. If your school administrators worry about individuals bringing dangerous objects into the game, consider implementing rules that restrict large bags and specific items from being brought into the facility.

Create a Safety Crew

Another way to improve safety at high school sporting events is by creating a safety crew. The safety crew should include police officers and various faculty members, such as the principal and dean of students. These individuals will keep an eye on the game and the movement of the crowd. At times, various fans and students may begin practicing poor behavior that affects others’ enjoyment of the event. The safety crew will take action to talk with the individual and may potentially remove them from the facility if needed.

With their eyes on the events occurring around the game itself, the safety crew is ready to act when a threat arises. Proper communication and training are key for the safety crew to understand each situation and the individual protocols for different scenarios.

Set Up Guard Booths

Guard booths are great resources for preventing safety risks at sporting events. A guard booth can also function as a ticket booth. Having people check tickets at the front of the event venue makes it easier to control access to the event. You can also station extra security at these booths. A police officer or security guard can keep an extra eye on spectators at the entrance.

Whether you need a booth for ticket sales or security, guard booths at sporting events make the entire environment safer for everyone.

Create an Emergency Exit Plan

If a very dangerous situation arises, the school needs to have a proper emergency exit plan in place to take control of the situation. Even if the safety crew is present, you should have additional safety measures should be in place, as well.

For one thing, there should be a fully functional intercom system to alert the crowd when needed. Next, the building’s design should accommodate high-traffic movement so that people may exit accordingly. Lastly, security guards and police officers should direct the crowd to a safe place after exiting the facility.

Create an Efficient Parking Lot and Exit System

Everyone will be rushing out to their cars at the end of the game. Fans rush to their cars, traffic ensues, and frustration reaches a peak as everyone tries to leave at once. The best way to help this situation is to create an efficiently designed parking lot.

To keep people safe, create designated crosswalks for pedestrians that are monitored by security guards or police officers. To help the flow of traffic, construct multiple exits from the parking lot. Another helpful resolution is installing traffic lights rather than stop signs at the exits. With these changes in place, cars can safely and quickly exit the parking lot following the game.

Sporting events are fun for people of all ages, but it’s up to the school to ensure everyone at the game stays safe and protected.