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National Interscholastic Athletics and After-School Activities Safety and Security Forum Addresses School Safety and Security Issues

Posted on February 1, 2024February 2, 2024

Leaders from across North America gathered in Katy, TX, for the 2024 National Interscholastic Athletics and After-School Activities Safety and Security Forum hosted by NCS⁴.

More than 100 safety and security officials from high schools across the country gathered in Katy, TX, recently for the 2024 National Interscholastic Athletics and After-School Activities Safety and Security Forum sponsored by the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS⁴).

The event was held at the Katy Independent School District’s Legacy Stadium. Event attendees ranged from superintendents, principals, athletic and facility administrators, fire/HAZMAT, emergency managers, law enforcement personnel, and school resource officers.

“The NCS⁴ forums are ideal for professionals to discuss issues and develop best practices most important to their respective industries. We aim to provide a safer environment for student-athletes, spectators, school staff, and officials,” said Dr. Stacey Hall, NCS⁴ Executive Director and Professor of Sport Management.

The Forum allowed industry leaders to gather and discuss current issues facing the interscholastic athletic community, including exploring solutions that will help high school and athletic administrators, school resource officers, and law enforcement enhance safety and security plans and operations.

Key discussion topics included:

Access Control and Screening
Emergency Communications
Extreme Weather Planning
Staff Training and Development
Emergency Medical Planning
Recovery Planning

Dena Scott, Director of Athletics for Fort Bend ISD and NCS⁴Interscholastic Committee member, who presented at the Forum noted: “Participating in events like the High School Forum is making an investment in the safety and success of our student-athletes. These forums empower athletic directors with knowledge, connections, and innovative solutions. It fosters a community dedicated to advancing safety and security standards in high school athletics. Together, we shape a resilient and thriving future for our sports programs.”

A highlight of the event included hearing from experienced leaders on expert panels, and the ability to focus on safety and security issues in roundtable settings enables the NCS⁴to improve its industry Best Practices.

General Manager of Facilities for Katy ISD and NCS⁴Interscholastic Committee member Ben Rolens spoke about “creating a culture of safety.” He added, “This great event allows us to collaborate with our colleagues from around the nation on identified best practices that we can benefit from. Our industry is committed to keeping our communities, students, and staff safe when attending events, and events like this Forum are critical in our planning.”

In addition to general programming sessions, attendees participated in discussions to review the NCS⁴ Best Practices for interscholastic athletics and after-school activities.

NCS4 extends special thanks to Solution Partners whose participation helped make this event possible, including Presenting Partner – Evolv Technology and Signature Partner - Metrasens.

NCS⁴ will host the 2024 National Professional Sports and Entertainment Safety and Security Forum at the University of Notre Dame on February 20-21, 2024. Limited space is available. View the full agenda and register for the event.

NCS⁴ National Professional Sports and Entertainment Safety and Security Forum Set for February 20-21

Posted on January 10, 2024February 1, 2024

The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS⁴) at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) will host the 2024 National Professional Sports and Entertainment Safety and Security Forum on Feb. 20-21 at the University of Notre Dame.

Join your peers to address the key safety and security challenges facing the professional sports and entertainment industry and to share best practices for continuous improvement.

The threat environment surrounding high-profile sport and entertainment events is continually evolving. Discussing current issues and exploring solutions in a forum environment will help safety and security managers, operations managers, and local and state law enforcement enhance safety and security plans and operations.

“The National Professional Sports and Entertainment Safety and Security Forum provides ongoing education, networking, and access to industry-leading technologies,” said Billy Langenstein, Senior Director of Security Services for the National Football League (NFL). “Attending the forum presents opportunities for timely and relevant topics to what industry professionals are concerned about, and the technology vendors match those needs. Top-notch speakers, high-quality education, training collaboration, and ample networking time with peers make this forum a must-attend event."

Forum participants will hear from experienced professionals and experts on sports betting, drone operations, illicit drug usage at events, lessons learned from recent events, the human factor in security, and the impact of social media influencers. In addition to general programming sessions, attendees will participate in moderated discussions to review the NCS⁴ Best Practices for professional sports and entertainment venues.

Moderated discussion topics include:

Access and Functional Needs
Fire and Emergency Medical Planning
Staff Training and Development
Fan Behavior
Emergency Communications
Perimeter Security

“We are excited to bring this group together again in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Emerging threats, business challenges, and industry standards will be discussed to ensure continuous improvement,” said Dr. Stacey A. Hall, NCS⁴ Executive Director and Professor of Sport Management.

“World events dictate the need to constantly research and improve physical and technology-based security strategies. The NCS⁴ keeps industry professionals proactively ahead of the game through collaboration, information sharing, product reviews, and informative gatherings, such as Forums,” said Darren F. Johnson, Director of Stadium Safety & Security for the Detroit Lions/Ford Field. “Attendees stand to gain vital information, introductions to cutting-edge safety and security technology, beneficial relationships, industry threat trends, and a wealth of knowledge from their peers. Do yourself a favor and get onboard; the NCS⁴ train is steamrolling the safety and security industry.”

The target audience for the event includes safety and security managers, operation managers, event managers and facility operators, local and state law enforcement, emergency managers, fire, HAZMAT, emergency medical services, guest services, and government officials. Private sector companies may only attend the forum as Solution Partners.

Thank you to our Solution Partners whose participation helps make this event possible, including Presenting Partners - BEST Crowd Management and Xtract One, and Signature Partners - 3AM Innovations Inc., Allied Universal® Event Services, Hanwha Vision, HiveWatch, Meridian Rapid Defense Group, and RAVE Mobile Safety, a Motorola Solutions Company.

Pricing for attendees is $425. Limited space is available. View the full agenda and register for the event. Hurry, the room block ends on January 18.