Public events are increasing in both capacity and frequency, returning closer to pre-pandemic levels. Musical artists have begun touring again, sports stadiums are increasing their capacity and award shows are expanding their guest count. Security leaders are now considering the best ways to secure their events.
The Academy Awards is working to improve their event safety. The 2023 award show will have a crisis team to monitor guest actions and safety. The team has been established following the events of the previous award show where the host and a guest were involved in a physical altercation.
Bill Kramer, CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, spoke to Time regarding the new safety measures.
The goal of the team is to respond to any events that happen during the award show itself, whether the conflict is between guests or guests and staff. Kramer told Time, “Because of last year, we’ve opened our minds to the many things that can happen at the Oscars. But these crisis plans — the crisis communication teams and structures we have in place — allow us to say this is the group that we have to gather very quickly."
With increasing public events and travel, it’s important for security leaders to consider how to protect both guests and employees in the event of an emergency.