Plan
Ahead for a
Safe, Secure
Event!
By Link
Moser
Haunted
Attraction
Magazine
Editor's Note: The last
Saturday of the
month, is
usually the
best attended
night of the
October season,
second only to
Halloween night
itself. This
year October
31st falls on a
Saturday, which
can mean either
large revenues
or disaster.
Paying extra
attention to
the security
and safety of
both your staff
and customers
will pay off
for you on the
big day. In
this article
Link Moser
tells us how he
is preparing
for the big
crowds BEFORE
they arrive at
his event.
Managing
any event that
is attended by
thousands of
people at one
time, can be a
nightmare,
unless you plan
ahead. Safety
and security
are of
paramount
importance for
handling the
large crowds
that will
attend your
event this
year, and a
written plan of
action for each
and every
possible
contingency
will decrease
the time it
takes to
respond to a
problem. It is
important to be
aware of what
is going on
during the show
and to keep an
eye on the
cash! All
public spaces
should be well
lit to avoid
problems, and
any potential
hazards should
be addressed
before they
become an
accident. Plans
for bad weather
conditions and
back-up
replacements
for all key
personnel and
equipment will
save you
valuable time,
and having an
idea how many
people you can
handle, before
you reach your
capacity, are
important
decisions that
should be made
before you open
your doors to
the public.
Being caught
unprepared can
amplify the
smallest
mishap, into a
major
problem.
Expect the
unexpected and
be prepared for
it. People do
crazy things
and as an event
owner/operator
you need to
know before an
incident occurs
what your
reaction to it
will be. With
the safety of
your crew and
the security of
your patrons in
mind, prepare a
detailed
security plan
that outlines
your coarse of
action for
every possible
incident. Try
to think about
everything that
could possibly
happen and how
it should be
handled. At our
hayride 80% of
the staff is
spread out, in
the woods, in
the dark, on a
trail that runs
as far as a one
half mile away
from the office
and loading
areas. If a
problem arises
on the route,
our staff must
be highly
mobile to
defuse the
situation. We
find it
essential to
keep vehicles
located
throughout the
premises, so
that if an
incident does
occur we can
respond in a
matter of seconds.
Since most
people pay for
admission in
cash, it is
important to
ensure the
safety of the
money. At least
one staff
member must be
monitoring each
cash register
at all times.
The ticket
booth must be
in constant
communication
with other
staff and
security, and
any one
register should
never have more
than $1,000 in
it at one time.
As the night
progresses,
remove the
larger bills
and place them
in a secure
location to
minimize the
amount of money
at risk.
Regardless of
your hours,
people seem to
show up all at
once, and
problems can
occur as you
find yourself
overrun by
customers.
Design your
event, parking
lot and the
surrounding
areas so that
they can handle
a large volume
of customers
all at once.
This alone can
go a long way
to ensuring
that your
events runs
smoothly and
will greatly
enhance
customer
satisfaction as
well. Before
your event
opens,
determine the
maximum number
of people you
can handle and
make sure you
do not exceed
that figure.
It's great to
be busy, but it
is better for
all concerned
to turn people
away, rather
than to exceed
a safe
capacity.
The visiting
crowd is not
the only
variable to
consider in
your written
plan. Be
prepared for
problems that
occur with your
staff and
equipment as
well. A hayride
places great
demand on both
staff and
equipment. Have
a plan in place
in the event
that a key
piece of
equipment
breaks, or a
key person does
not show up. A
spare generator
or compressor,
and a few
understudies
can be a show
saver.
Weather, is
another
variable that
needs to be
planned for. Be
prepared to
deal with
various
conditions such
as rain and
extreme cold.
Rain can wreak
havoc on your
trail creating
mud, ruts and
slippery
conditions,
which can
jeopardize the
safety of your
operation. If
you have the
room, prepare a
backup trail to
use as an
alternative, if
the main route
becomes too
hazardous.
Thoroughly
inspect your
tractors and
wagons each day
before opening
to ensure safe
and predictable
operation.
Check the
wagons for any
sharp edges or
splinters, and
repair them as
necessary. Your
hay-wagons are
subjected to
great stress
during the show
and overloading
must be
avoided.
Calculate how
many people can
safely fit on
each wagon, and
never exceeded
that limit. As
a safety
measure, build
each wagon to
hold more
people than can
that fit on it
at one time.
Maintain your
tractors and
kept them
fueled up. Be
prepared to
react to
mechanical
failures during
the show as
they occur.
Great physical
demands are
also placed on
your staff and
precautions
need to be
taken to ensure
their safety.
Place first aid
kits in visible
locations
throughout the
trail and
notify all
staff as to
their
locations.
Tractor drivers
should pay
particular
attention to
the location of
all staff while
they are
performing
around the
tractor and
wagon to avoid
possible
injuries.
The use of open
fires on your
route can be
effective, but
make sure there
is a working
fire
extinguisher,
rated for wood
fires, and
plenty of water
located at each
fire site.
Never leave
fires
unattended and
make sure that
they are
completed
extinguished
when you close
for the
night.
For the
security of
your patrons,
make sure that
all public
areas are well
lit and free
from any
obstacles or
trip hazards.
Since many
hayrides take
place on a
farm, take
extra care with
any fencing,
farming
equipment and
other
inappropriate
obstacles by
fenced them
off, or
removing them
from the
premise. Make
sure that the
waiting area is
safe for people
of all ages,
remember that
children love
to explore and
climb on or
under
things.
Making sure
your customers
and staff are
safe and secure
is a crucial
element in
planning your
October event,
and now is the
time to prepare
your plan of
action. As
October
approaches, you
will find
yourself
immersed in
building scenes
and managing
the marketing
plan, with
little time to
think about
safety and
security. Once
the plan is
written, go
over every last
detail with
your staff so
that when a
problem arises,
everyone is on
the same page.
A written plan
that covers all
possible
situations will
save you
valuable time
in all
circumstances.
Making public
spaces safe
will increase
customer
satisfaction.
Back up systems
and an
alternate bad
weather trail
will prevent
interruption of
the show. The
key is to plan
ahead, and a
written plan it
is the best way
to ensure that
your haunted
attraction runs
smoothly,
safely and
successfully.
---------------------------------------------------------
Link Moser
is the
co-owner/operator
of Windhill
Farm Haunted
Halloween
Hayrides in
Loudon, New
Hampshire.
---------------------------------------------------------
