By Samuetta Hill Drew
Recently I attended a couple of large events hosted in an arena setting with thousands of people. As I walked to my seat at both events, I thought about the possible safety issues and concerns involved with large crowds of thousands.
One event was extremely well organized to the smallest detail making the ingress and egress smooth. Additional signage was posted guiding attendees to their designated areas with more than enough ushers strategically posted to provide assistance.
The other event was pretty standard. There were the usual individuals posted at the main entrance scanning tickets and the security checkpoints like the other event. A noticeable difference was attendees were pretty much left to fend for themselves with locating their seats. This event did have noticeable security posted throughout the arena. At the latter event an incident occurred just a few feet from where I was walking out to leave.
The incident involved an attendee and security. Many people stood and watched while others scurried away. So, what is the best approach to remaining safe when attending large events? Chances are nothing’s going to occur, but still.
Let’s review some safety tips to practice when attending large crowded events.
Choosing the right pair of shoes is important. Wear shoes that fit and are not likely to fall off, trip you up, or difficult to run in if necessary. Wear sturdy shoes with a closed toe. Make sure your shoelaces are properly tied. Leave your flip-flops for the beach or around the pool. They have little traction and can become a tripping hazard. Very high heels are not recommended because they too may become a tripping hazard and makes you vulnerable to a twisted ankle.
Removing one’s shoes is not recommended either because your feet could possibly get cuts, leaving you open to infections. Having on the right pair of shoes is the easiest way to avoid getting hurt in a crowd. Minor wounds like sprains or cuts resulting from simple falls is one of the leading injuries at large crowded events.
Select an outfit which makes it hard to yank on and stumble over. Avoid wearing loose clothing or accessories that could become tangled or pulled. Keep the long maxi dress for another occasion so no one will accidentally step on it.
Also leave your hooded sweatshirt at home for another event. When people panic in a crowd while evacuating someone may tug on your hood in their attempt to run away. This will make it harder for you to run or even breathe.
Wearing the right outfit is one way of Keeping an Eye on Safety when attending large crowded events. Consider the crowd that usually attends various types of events, then calculate your risks!
