Bonfire Night brings massive crowds, fireworks, and risks you can’t ignore. Here’s what you need to cover before anyone lights a sparkler.
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Get a proper risk assessment done early. Don’t leave this until the week before. Identify where crowds will gather, where fireworks get launched from, and what could go wrong. Write it down. Share it with your security team and local authorities.
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Check your public liability insurance covers fireworks events. Some policies exclude pyrotechnics. Ring your insurer and confirm you’re covered for the specific activities you’re planning. Get it in writing.
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Hire SIA licenced security guards for crowd control. You need trained professionals who know how to manage large groups, not volunteers in high-vis jackets. Guard Mark Security provides fully licenced guards who’ve worked fireworks events across Yorkshire.
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Establish a safety perimeter around the launch site. Nobody except trained pyrotechnics staff should be within 25 metres of where fireworks launch. Barrier it off. Post guards there. Enforce it strictly.
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Set up separate entry and exit points. Never use the same gate for both. Crowds pushing against each other trying to enter and leave at the same location causes crushes. Plan distinct routes and staff them properly.
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Ban alcohol on site or control it tightly. Drunk people plus fire equals disasters. If you’re serving alcohol, limit how much individuals can buy and station security near bars to watch for problems.
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Prepare for medical emergencies before they happen. Make sure they know your site layout, have vehicle access for emergencies, and can reach any point on your grounds quickly.
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Coordinate with local police and fire services. Tell them your event date, expected attendance, and security plans. They need advance notice. Get their mobile contact numbers for event day.
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Create clearly marked emergency vehicle access routes. Tape them off. Sign them. Keep them completely clear throughout your event. Ambulances can’t help anyone if they’re blocked by parked cars or vendor stalls.
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Install adequate lighting across the entire site. Dark areas where people can’t see create trip hazards and hiding spots for criminals. Light pathways, toilets, food areas, and all public spaces properly.
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Test your PA system before crowds arrive. You need to broadcast emergency instructions if something goes wrong. Make sure speakers work in every corner of your site and someone knows how to use the system quickly.
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Brief all staff and volunteers on emergency procedures. Everyone working your event should know what to do if fire breaks out, someone gets injured, or you need to evacuate. Run through scenarios. Make sure they understand.
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Check weather forecasts up to event day. Strong winds make fireworks dangerous. Heavy rain makes ground slippery and increases fall risks. Have a cancellation plan and criteria for when you’ll use it.
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Control what people bring onto the site. Bag checks at entrances stop people bringing their own fireworks, alcohol, or weapons. Guard Mark Security’s entrance teams know what to look for and process people quickly without creating bottleneck queues.
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Monitor crowd density throughout the event. If areas get too packed, close entry to those zones temporarily. Redirect people to less crowded spaces. Serious injuries happen when crowds get compressed.
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Station guards at all vehicle entry points. Only authorised vehicles should access the site during your event. Delivery trucks, emergency vehicles, and staff only. Everyone else parks offsite.
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Keep fireworks storage secured and guarded. Before and after the display, explosives need protecting. Lock them away from public access. Post a guard there continuously.
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Have fire extinguishers and fire blankets positioned strategically. Near food stalls, the fireworks launch area, and anywhere else fire could start. Train security staff on how to use them.
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Plan your evacuation routes and communicate them clearly. If you need everyone off the site fast, how will that happen? Mark routes. Brief guards on their evacuation roles. Practise it if possible.
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Stay on site until every last person leaves. Security doesn’t end when fireworks finish. People linger, drink, cause trouble. Guard Mark Security stays until your site is completely clear and secured.
Contact Guard Mark Security on 03301755786 for professional fireworks event security. We’ve secured Bonfire Night celebrations across Yorkshire for over a decade. We know what works and what doesn’t. Let us handle your security so you can focus on creating a great event.
