Do you own a shelter? Do you have a shelter in your home? If yes, do you have a security plan in place? Why is this important? This is why:

5. The shelter industry is growing at a rapid rate. Haunted places are popping up everywhere. Theme parks are adding Halloween Haunts to their seasonal operations. Escape rooms are popping up everywhere and causing scares all year long. The ghost industry is a $ 7 billion industry. Yes. 7 trillion. And what accompanies this growth? More people. More money. More frivolous judgments. In fact, lawyers are posting advertisements looking for people who have been injured in shelters. It is not a problem until it is a problem. So it is a real problem.

4. If you have a home shelter, you don’t need a fire inspection because your shelter is on private property. While this may sound like a good thing, not being inspected could lead to accidents. And your shelter is likely not covered by your homeowner’s insurance. Also, if a guest runs out of your shelter and onto the street, you are now on city property and you could be held liable for anything that happens to you.

3. City officials do not want to be held responsible for accidents that occur in independent locations. They are cracking down on inspections. If you don’t have a safety plan in place, you could be liable or shut down before scaring a single guest. Announcing that you have a safety plan is a good marketing tool, as it informs the public that you have taken the time to ensure their safety.

2. Protect yourself, your staff and your guests. Make sure you are not responsible for guests who put themselves in danger by not following the rules, appearing drunk, or misbehaving around others. Having a safety plan in place not only protects you from being a target, it also gives you a way to train your staff on what to do in an emergency. It will help you think carefully about your volunteer internships and create a way to consistently run your attraction in an efficient and professional manner.

1. Peace of mind. If the unthinkable happens, having a safety plan in place will give those involved the peace of mind of knowing that they did everything possible to avoid injuries and / or disasters. While it may not seem important in advance, it could well become the most important factor during an emergency situation.

It’s just as important for shelters to build a safety plan as it is to create perfect scares. Keeping checklists and procedures that can be printed and distributed to staff is a smart way to keep the terror on stage during the Halloween season.