'Security checklist': How to be 'safer in a crowd' during dangerous times

08 February

A woman speaks as demonstrators rally during a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump and the actions he has taken in the first weeks of his presidency, outside of the Department of Labor in Washington, U.S., February 5, 2025.

The 2025 Super Bowl, with the Philadelphia Eagles battling the Kansas City Chiefs, is this Sunday, February 9 in New Orleans — which remains on high alert following a New Year's Day terrorist attack on Bourbon Street.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, working closely with Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel and other officials, is planning road closures and barricades in anticipation of the crowds of Eagles fans expected to pour into the streets of Center City and other parts of Philly during the game.

The Super Bowl, however, isn't the only event being dogged by security concerns.

In an article published on February 6, the New York Times' Derek M. Norman offers some tips on increasing safety in a large crowd.

"To beef up security around event perimeters," Norman explains, "the police sometimes place concrete blocks or park sanitation trucks to prevent vehicles from entering crowded pedestrian areas. No security measure can offer absolute protection against all threats, of course, but experts say there are some things you can do to keep yourself, your family and your friends safer in a crowd."

Norman's tips, based on guidance from law enforcement and national security experts, include: (1) "Know your surroundings," (2) "Make, and share, an emergency plan," (3) "Carry vital health information on you," (4) "Don’t ignore your instincts," and (5) "Make a security checklist."

"When you're excited to be at a Taylor Swift concert, a Pride gathering or the Super Bowl," Norman explains, "security may not be as intuitive as, say, remembering your tickets. That's why it may help to make a pretravel security checklist, incorporating many of these tips, to train yourself until these precautions become second nature."

Read Derek M. Norman's full New York Times article at this link (subscription required).

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