Out on a Limb

June 14, 2010 at 5:23 am | Posted in Security | 2 Comments
Tags: accident, alcohol, ambulance, balcony, crowd control, death, drinking, event, fall, injury, nightmare, party, Party Plan Checklist, police, prevention, safe parties, security, teen, teenage, teenager, tragedy, U-NOME Security, venue, youth

Plant pots? Yes. Party people? No!

The Deadly Dangers of Balconies

Crash!

Last night in Sydney, a balcony packed with people collapsed at a teen party.

Around 20 guests fell more than two metres – many sustaining injuries.

Two ambulance helicopters and several road ambulances ferried them to hospital.

We could have prevented it all.

Prevention

When my company conducts a Safety Assessment on a prospective party property, we establish whether or not the venue is safe.

Based on our experience, we strongly discourage parties in places with balconies.

We’ve learnt the (very) hard way that balconies add to the problems of teen parties and increase the risk of injury.

We know that young guests have a tendency to skylark and ‘show off’ on balconies.

They hang off the sides and pretend to jump.

And sometimes they do jump.

And they fall.

Hard.

Lethal Cocktail

Domestic balconies are not designed or made to withstand dozens of bouncing bodies.

Add cracked concrete, corroded steel, alcohol and pounding music to the mix and what do you have?

Disaster.

Future

Most issues and injuries can be prevented if safety assessments are conducted.

The event permit system I’ve proposed includes this process as part of permit conditions.

It makes sense.

It’ll save lives and limbs.

What are we waiting for?

Naomi Oakley, Managing Director, U-NOME Security Communication Specialists.