Theme parks bring joy to families, kids, and adults alike, which is only possible thanks to the work of team members and expert security behind the scenes. Although a theme parks business model focuses on bringing the most fun possible to everyone who walks through the gates, it is also important to consider safety and security.
Hiring a professional team that understands theme parks’ unique security risks can ensure you provide nothing but a fantastic experience to all your visitors, while keeping them and their loved ones safe at all times.
Do Theme Parks Need to Hire Security?
Whether you operate a theme park, carnival, national fair, or similar event, you need security to protect everyone on-site. Theme parks attract large crowds, including small children who could get lost, adults who could be there to pickpocket or vandalize, and even outside criminals looking to target specific people or groups.
With so much to manage, there is no way for regular staff members to handle the diverse security needs of the park. Instead, most theme parks need a team of dedicated security experts that can perform different security functions throughout the park. This includes guarding the various entry and exit points on the premises, surveilling parking lots, monitoring surveillance systems, and performing foot and mobile patrols to detect and intercept crime.
Security guards are there to ensure that safety is always maintained within the park and to enforce rules and safety guidelines. They also help prevent employee misconduct, such as improper ride handling, that could jeopardize people’s safety. You can customize your theme park security services to suit your needs. At Silbar Security, we always work with each client to develop bespoke solutions for their security.
Benefits of Hiring Theme Park Security
The most significant benefit of hiring theme park security is your guests’ safety. People should never have to worry about being a victim of a crime or violence while enjoying a day out at the theme park or carnival.
It’s our job to act behind the scenes, identifying risks, managing threats, and stopping problems before they start or deescalating when necessary. You may be familiar with the saying, “expect the unexpected,” but we always stay vigilant to ensure that the worst-case scenarios never unfold on our watch, and even if they do, we are prepared to handle them.
Below are some of the benefits that a theme park can expect by enlisting the support of private theme park security.
Crowd Control
It’s impossible for a small team of management professionals to safely monitor thousands of people daily. Instead, you need trained security personnel who understand how to safely control crowds and protect every individual that comes to your park or event. Crowd control includes managing conduct in lines to attractions, inside park venues, and during park events. The security team can also ensure there is always a steady flow of foot traffic to prevent overcrowding or stampedes. Another essential part of crowd control is monitoring entrances and exits. Guests should never be allowed to gather and obstruct any entry or exit points.
Child Protection
While theme parks are generally a safe place for children, they can, unfortunately, contain the wrong people or circumstances for them in some cases. Children can get separated from their parents in a crowd, and some may be targeted by kidnappers. Security can help prevent such incidents from occurring through ongoing monitoring and surveillance. If there is ever concern about a child’s well-being, they will intervene without hesitation. In the event a child is reported missing, the security team can rapidly assemble a search team and even prevent anyone from exiting the park until the child is found.
Reduce Risks of Violence
While they may be a place that people go to for joy, theme parks can also attract the wrong people, such as criminals or those looking to do harm. A criminal likely aims to steal from or intimidate as many people as possible, and they often find amusement parks a perfect place for them to target. They often look for places where people least expect them to be, such as in lines for rides, concession stands, or other common places.
Security helps prevent threats from multiple angles. In addition to on-site patrols, guest screening, and threat detection, they can also engage in digital monitoring to identify potential risks. The presence of uniformed security officers is also a significant anti-criminal deterrent. In addition to being a crime deterrent, security guards also stand as trustworthy figures for people to turn to if they spot any suspicious activity.
Employee Monitoring
Anyone who works at an amusement park should have to complete a comprehensive background check and drug screening. If desired, security personnel can indirectly monitor current employees for proper conduct. The security team can also be responsible for organizing basic employee training on security best practices, ensuring that the park’s protocols are always at the top of staff’s minds. Through continued vigilance and observation, security ensures that the employees who work at your theme park are operating according to your standards.
Ensure Safe Rides
Many people don’t realize that the security team at a theme park is responsible for ensuring that the crowds and lineups around rides and attractions are properly monitored at all times. They help enforce park rules and crowd control for guests’ safety. This helps ensure that riders are able to enjoy their ride without pushing, misconduct, or other disturbances.
Emergency Preparedness
Security at theme parks, carnivals, fairs, and other events must actively prepare for any potential on-site emergencies. This includes coordinating with EMS and first aid teams to ensure easy access to medical assistance for anyone that needs it. Additionally, security oversees the development and execution of evacuation procedures in the event of a serious threat, fire, power failure, or severe weather incident. The security team also ensures the park’s alarms and communication systems are connected and functional. They perform routine inspections and conduct regular testing to ensure that the park is well-equipped to handle any threat that may come its way.
Connect With Security Professionals
At Silbar Security, we combine police-grade technology with our intensive training to produce the most adept and dependable security guards in the industry. We offer full-time, part-time, and emergency security staffing for theme parks and other venues throughout the United States.
Please contact us today if you would like to schedule a free consultation with one of our security experts and learn more about what we offer and how we can help you.
