Disco Tragedies

Title – Disco Tragedies
Source – The Independent
Date – April 2000

Tragedies and serious incidents in nightclubs and other licensed premises occur on a regular basis both at home and abroad. Despite better regulations having a positive effect on the severity of these incidents on the whole, they continue to occur on a regular basis despite the best efforts of the Security Industry to provide a more professional service to its clients.

Wherever large numbers of people will congregate, even without the addition of large quantities of alcohol that are consumed, problems and situations will occur. They will continue to be targeted when individuals want to make an impact for political or private reasons.

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Seven killed in gas bomb attack on Lisbon club

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Title – Seven killed in gas bomb attack on Lisbon club
Source – The Independent
Date – April 2000

Places where the public gather are always at risk from attack as the high profile nature of these attacks makes an impact not only locally, but worldwide. This attack in Lisbon, Portugal involved the assailants throwing (what are described as) “poisonous gas bombs” into a busy club. The majority of the casualties and injuries, as is common in this type of incident, were from the stampede that followed, as panic set in amongst the 1000 strong crowd. This is not unusual when this type of incident occurs, suddenly people feel like they can’t breath and their eyes are stinging to the point where some of them can’t see, they start to run in a vain attempt to find the exit route, the panic is such that nothing else but getting out has any importance to them. They will fight like animals until their goal is achieved.

The risk from such attacks although being low remains present at all times. These types of incident can occur at any time and without warning, the difference between all out panic and controlled evacuation is a very fine one. Having witnessed pepper spray being let off in a nightclub in the UK I know the devastating and immediate effect this can have on a large group of individuals in the area and how the crowd dynamics can quickly lead to mass panic if not controlled.

Our training courses in Fire Safety (FS), In-House Security Induction (IHSI) and the National Certificate for Door Supervisor (NCDS) as well as Conflict Management & Resolution Courses (CMR) that all help prepare staff better for such an incident and instruct how best to deal with it should it ever arise. We also provide Consultancy Services to allow us to evaluate the existing structures (or in the case of new venues we provide systems and structure for our clients) in place within your organisation and to advise how best to change them to improve the service offered to customers and the safety of everyone within your venue.

Please visit our website at www.btbl.co.uk