1. What motivated you to pursue a career in event security, and what do you find most rewarding about the role?
Being South Florida-based, it was a natural progression from our entertainment venue security division (nightclubs, concert venues, etc.), which is responsible for a large part of our State’s revenue (tourism, entertainment). During our time in that sector, we were the largest nightclub security agency in the State of FL.
As we grew older as guards and the company grew older as a whole, I decided to pivot Guardian totally out of that division and focus more on one with much more longevity and potential for growth (nightclubs come and go and have a higher risk vs. reward ratio). The Guardian name was (and is) very well established in Florida, especially South Florida so it was a natural transition to focus on the event security world since we have established relationships with clients and potential clients as well as the fanbase.
We are mostly known for our Celebrity Protection Division worldwide (bodyguards). We primarily focused on entertainers’ close protection and made our worldwide stamp in that world so knowing how to protect entertainers, touring worldwide, the risks involved, and the demands of what it takes in order to be successful as personal protectors combined with our experience in handling crowds at venues. We decided to expand into the Event Security world and it has proven to be a great decision as we have made our name in that world as well and continue to dominate it in S. Florida.
Just like with each of our divisions…we started with just one venue and by word of mouth (we don’t advertise or solicit) we have gradually obtained more and more event security accounts so it was a very organic growth into the event world and now protect every major event we have aspired to protect which allows us to grow up the State, if you will, by now having event security accounts from the Florida Keys to as far up north as Orlando and Tampa.
We are happy with this organic growth which compared to our national competitors (who often bite off more than they can chew [corporate greed]) we have been successful in making our footprint grow while retaining high-quality guards by providing them with enough work to where they do not look elsewhere, higher pay than most and leadership for each event with not only high-level Supervisors and Managers but also having our C.
Suite level management of our company personally leading and handling all of our event security accounts. When up against national and worldwide event security providers, we pride ourselves on the personal touch and leading by example vs. billion-dollar agencies who simply do not provide what we can.
For me, it’s most rewarding seeing the “David vs. Goliath” story unfold where now we have accounts like Super Bowls, Formula 1, Inter Miami CF (MLS) Miami Dolphins (NFL), Miami Hurricanes (NCAA) and every major music festival in FL (as well as many other prestigious accounts). This did not happen overnight. It took years of hard work by all of our people, doing things the right way…I think that is the most rewarding thing for me. We take pride in running our State…we have been established and headquartered in FL for 19 years so the local/home team winning is very rewarding not only for me but also for all of our people.
2. Can you walk us through a day in the life of an event security officer during a large-scale event? What are the main responsibilities?
For a large-scale event, we can not simply wrap it up in “a day in the life”. It takes a lot of planning in order to have a safe event so the planning comes months in advance. From the moment we get the proposal approved we put the event on our intracompany calendar for all of our guards to see so they too can plan their schedules in order to be part of the deployment. This allows us to place the right guards on the right details.
We meet with the Police and Fire well in advance and listen to the security concerns and what they have in place to help mitigate any major issues that may arise. We add our input into these conversations because all of our accounts are repeat accounts and our experience is vital. We work closely with the Event Security Director and Ownership on planning as well. We obtain the maps, decide on where to place the guards on the dot map and then finally do a physical security advance at the venue to confirm and get to know the venue very well.
Finally, when it comes to the day of the event our Supervisors & Management are first to arrive, we set up our mobile security H.Q. onsite where our Administrator becomes the beacon for all guards to report to. We share with our team the maps, and the emergency routes and brief them verbally prior to doors or gates opening.
After briefing the team (which is usually in the hundreds) we separate the groups into teams who will provide security for respective areas of the footprint and they are then led off our mobile H.Q. by our Supervisors who continue to brief their respective teams with what to expect, the credentialing boards and place the guards according to the dot map. We are all on intracompany radios we provide (Guardian radios) where we have our own frequency and can communicate as a team event-wide.
In addition to the Guardian radios our Managers also have a house radio which connects them to the event’s Command Center where we have direct comms with Police, Fire and the Event Security Director. Now we are ready for doors. We emphasize to our guards the importance of not only providing security services, access control, etc but also customer service as that helps for a better experience for our guests and also helps mitigate any issues with guests that may arise because of our now-established report with the guests, event workers and events’ management.
These are usually long days where the guards may work 16 hours or more so we make sure our guard’s breaks are in order which keeps our guards happy and if we have happy guards we can provide better security for the event itself. As the event goes the security concerns increase, especially considering the weather, the genre of guests, the genre of music or entertainment, add alcohol (or drugs) and the security concerns rise as we go into the ending hours of the event. It is our responsibility to be mentally and physically prepared to face any and every challenge that may arise.
3. What are some of the most challenging situations you’ve faced on the job, and how did you handle them?
We live in difficult times, the challenges can be something as simple as access control and as challenging as injury or worse, risk of loss of life. Communication is key here, if you see something say something. Seeing issues before they occur has helped us handle these situations better.
We have a color code system for radio calls which all our guards know by heart. Guards call in the radio commands and we react to the issues before they become large issues. Some codes for example; code “black” meaning there is a suspicious package or bag that is left unattended, code pink which means there is a child who has been separated from his/her parents, code yellow which means there seems to be guests getting upset with each other…the list goes on.
Most of the time due to our communications with each other we are able to mitigate these situations before they become extremely challenging. That is the key, prevention beats the cure so communicating and executing often and early are vital.
If things start to get out of hand, we call into Command and ask for Police or Fire support depending on the situation and when they arrive we work closely with them to help handle the issues as a team.
Ultimately, the safety of all of the people at our events is our primary concern.
4. What training or certifications would you recommend for someone aspiring to work in event security?
I recommend getting certified in Crowd Management, CPR/First Aid/AED for infants, children and adults and of course the State’s Security Officer license (which if they do not have, they can not work for us).
Even further, getting Active Shooter, Stop the Bleed and Advanced Medical training certifications are also highly recommended and we provide all of that training free to our guards here at Guardian.
Health certs in my opinion are just as important as any other type of training or certification. It is not necessary for each and every guard to have all these certs (except the Guard Card which is mandatory) but at least our Supervisors and Managers. At major events, it’s often (if not always) the security officers who are first to report/handle any issues that arise and timing is vital so having guards who are trained and certified is important when every second counts.
5. What advice would you give to someone looking to transition into a supervisory or managerial role in event security?
The Event Security world is unique so I advise anyone looking to transition into a super/manager role to start off by being an event security officer…gain knowledge and experience in protecting events from every genre you possibly can so when you do decide to move into a Super/Manager role…you will be prepared because you have experienced working all sorts of events.
Your guards will look to you for leadership and if you do not have the experience of working particular events you will not be ready to lead your team. I would also advise a guard looking for a higher position (higher pay) that with it comes with higher responsibilities. I often say to our leaders: “Everything that goes right is because of you but anything that goes wrong is because of you”. I let them know what they are getting into and what is expected of them in order to lead their teams proficiently.
I would also advise them that they will physically work harder than they would if they were a security officer. In our company at least, our Supers/Managers are the first ones at the venues and the last to leave. They put in more steps/miles than their guards will. I often see other security company managers “live” at the Command Center. It’s nice there, you have the AC, snacks, and colleagues and usually are seated watching the screens. That’s NOT what we do at Guardian.
Our guards want to be led physically and when they see our Supers/Managers right there by their side, working harder on the ground than they are…they respect that and it inspires them to match or try and match our energy. So if you are looking to get into the advanced role of leadership, know that you are going to have to outwork everyone.
Again, you asked my advice and that is what we do here at Guardian but I have seen that this is not the case in many events for other security companies so it is not mandatory in the industry to advance but we pride ourselves on it and it is to us. I would also advise future leaders to always treat their guards like they want to be treated.
Although I’m the CEO of Guardian, I am a guard too and if that means performing Usher duties…I perform Usher duties, Guard duties…perform Guard duties and Supervisor duties…well you get the gist. Be a leader by example and never be too “good” for any role you ask of your people no matter how much experience you have.
6. Can you describe how technology is being used to enhance event security and how professionals in the field can stay current with these tools?
As time goes on, technology is proving to be more and more important. I mentioned our radio comms but in addition, we use the internet to plan/advance for our events. From Google Maps to paying attention to social media and what is being said prior to, during and after the event.
In addition, most major events and venues often have an app everyone can download which includes emergency alerts, allows guards and guests to report issues (see something say something) etc.
We also rely on weather apps so we can monitor storm systems that may potentially cause harm to our event or its people. Most major events also have a phone number you can text or call if there are issues of concern. It’s important to brief your security team on how to use these technologies as well and this is done during our briefings. Technology is much more advanced in the Command Center.
Most Command Centers have large flatscreen TVs monitoring all parts of the venue as well which are connected to mobile cameras, posted cameras and sometimes drones. Police, Fire, FBI, etc all have their dispatch there and of course, have much more resources and intel available to them than a private security agency might so we make sure to work with them and be of service as much as possible.