I’ve recently got back from doing some close protection work where we had to deal with busy, high pressure, crowded situations. It got me thinking about staying safe in crowds and how quickly an event, such as a concert, festival or sports match, can change from a fun celebration to a potentially dangerous and life-threatening scenario.

So I thought I’d share some tips with you for staying safe in crowds so that you can go out and enjoy big events with your family, knowing you are prepared.

1. Take responsibility for you and your family

This first point may seem a little obvious - ‘of course I’m going to take responsibility for my family’. However, what I’m getting at is don’t wait for the cavalry to arrive. Don’t think that the police or venue staff or emergency services will come and sort everything out and save the day.

In extreme circumstances, it is every man (or woman) for themselves. Get yourself and your family to safety as quickly as you can - take action and responsibility.

2. Make a plan

If you can, pre-plan your exit from the venue or location so that you know where to go if necessary:

Look where the emergency exits are
Agree a meeting point with your group should you get separated
Where are places of safety nearby
Is your car parked somewhere safe and near the exit
Have you got a small bag with emergency items in? I’d suggest having a first aid kit, any medication you may need (such as an Epipen), some cash, a bottle of water, a fully charged phone etc. Ensure you have supplies so that you can be self sufficient and look after your family.

Keeping Children Safe in Crowds

Before leaving for your event take a photo of your children in the clothes they are wearing out. This way, if the worst should happen and you lose them, you will have a photo to show officials and they will know exactly what they are wearing. This could be shared on social media if necessary. Also, remind children what to do if they get lost and give them a piece of paper with your mobile phone number on it. Make sure they know what number to dial for emergency services and what they will be asked if they do have to call 999.

3. Be aware

Always have a 360 degree awareness of what is going on around you and pay attention to the atmospherics - especially in crowded places.

I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to trust your gut instinct, because you can and will pick up on changes in the dynamic of the crowd or if something suspicious is happening.

4. Be positive and take action

Don’t think ‘oh I’m just being silly’, if you’re not happy, get out of there. It is better to be safe, than to stay and find yourself in a dangerous or out of control situation. Take positive action to remove yourself from danger quickly.

5. Get away from immediate danger

Run! Don’t worry about what other people might think. Just get your family as far away from the threat as you can.

If you’re caught up in a moving crowd, keep tight hold of your family and try to move sideways or diagonally to get out or to the edge of the crowd.

If you can, keep your arms in front of you (like a boxer’s stance) to avoid getting pinned in too tightly and to give you more room to breathe.

6. Think on your feet

No matter how much you plan, things can and will change. You need to be flexible and think on your feet as it happens. Just keep going and reassess the situation.

Although the adrenaline will be kicking in, try to stay calm and take deep breaths - this will help you keep a clear mind and focus on finding a solution. Keep that positive mindset that you can and will protect your family and get out safely.

Self Defence Training

I hope you’ll never need to use tips 4, 5 and 6, but being prepared will mean that you can enjoy the event knowing you have a plan and can cope with whatever happens.

If you would like to learn self defence techniques to keep you and your family safe, just get in touch. You can also check out our video courses for a cost-effective method of learning personal safety and self defence.

6 tips for staying safe in a crowd