This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
Park Operations parkworld-online.com


Whether we like it or not, whether we want to or not, the crazy world in which we live today dictates that security procedures at leisure facilities around the world be reviewed and revised to increase security both among guests and employees, writes Dennis Speigel





Recently I


visited some major theme parks in the USA. What I encountered was a security guard poking around in purses and backpacks with a wooden stick. If someone had wanted to sneak something into the park, I can assure you it would have been relatively simple


40


Are you doing enough? Searching questions about park security


T


his year, there have been numerous high profile security invasions and incidents throughout the world, including last month’s horrendous shopping mall shootings in Nairobi, Kenya. Just this year in North America we have had an attack on US naval facilities in Washington DC, school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut; a bombing at the Boston Marathon and mass transit bombing attempts in Toronto, Canada. There have been more issues in Europe, and ongoing incidents in the Middle East. As I write this, 19 US embassies are closed until further notice.


This is not an easy topic to discuss, but a necessary one to address. Recently I visited some major theme parks in the USA. Quite frankly, I was appalled by the security I encountered at the front gate entrance points. Basically what I encountered was a security guard poking around in purses and backpacks for about three to five seconds with a wooden stick. If someone had wanted to sneak something into the park, I can assure you it would have been relatively simple. The searches I encountered and saw were at best superficial – no true invasive search. Just recently, a 9mm semi-automatic weapon was found in a guest’s seat at a Disney park – Animal Kingdom. How did it get through security?





When people come to our theme parks, of course they are not thinking about being frisked or scanned upon arrival, but the realities of today’s world dictates operators undertake proper security measures. We must do our utmost to establish a high level of security, no matter what encumbrance is met (within reason).


OCTOBER 2013 A price worth paying


By and large – and I mean 99.9% – of the guests who visit parks do not mind being searched, scanned or passing through electronic security gates. The typical guest mentality is, “If it makes my visit safer, I couldn’t care less if I am checked when entering a park.” Only those trying to conceal something care. There is a park in the USA that recently re- introduced unobtrusive security gates. These gates were virtually hidden in the architecture of the park’s entrance. Signs were posted prior to passing through the entry portals about, “No guns, knives, or other types of weapons” being allowed into the park. After re-instituting the gates, park officials said they were absolutely shocked by the types of contraband they found – guns, knives, ice picks, brass knuckles, blackjacks – not to mention other items which were found upon further search. It happens, but needs to be better guarded against to prevent future occurrences.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48