By: Katie Arcos, Shannon Price, Natalia Fonseca, and Savannah Williams
SXSW learned from 2014 and changes security and safety plan for 2015.
AUSTIN - As people flood downtown for South by Southwest, from March 13 through the 22, last year’s fatal crash will be on the minds of venues, authorities and companies collaborating to create an exciting and relaxed atmosphere in downtown Austin.
The Austin Police Department is bringing all the equipment and personnel it can to maintain a safe environment for the music and film festival. During a Public Safety Commission meeting on Jan. 5, Assistant Chief Jason Dusterhoft outlined the festival’s safety strategies including traffic response forces, stronger barricades and a 15 percent increase in officers downtown. He said the goal is to have more cohesiveness and communication among the different participants.
“We will have issues,” Chief Dusterhoft said, “But we hope to be able to respond to them more quickly.”
Commander of Special Events Tim Pruett, later said that there are rules and application processes venues have to follow. Lines can only be held for a certain amount of time, and they cannot block sidewalks, entrances, or exits out of parking lots. Venues are required to have people working the lines, he said.
“We are getting better cooperation, better communication before these events happen due to the application process,” Commander Pruett said.
“We will have issues,” Chief Dusterhoft said, “But we hope to be able to respond to them more quickly.”
Commander of Special Events Tim Pruett, later said that there are rules and application processes venues have to follow. Lines can only be held for a certain amount of time, and they cannot block sidewalks, entrances, or exits out of parking lots. Venues are required to have people working the lines, he said.
“We are getting better cooperation, better communication before these events happen due to the application process,” Commander Pruett said.
Venues are also taking measures of their own. Jessie Davis, venue manager at Palm Door on Sixth, said that they have hired extra security for crowd control and for managing lines. Venue owners works closely with their clients to make sure that each particular event has the amount of security it needs.
“We are very confident that the venues will be safe and controlled,” Davis said. Even though SXSW refused to comment for this story, in an interview for the Texas Monthly, SXSW founder Roland Swenson painfully remembered last year’s SXSW crash. Mohawk, a concert venue downtown, was about to receive singer Tyler The Creator. Swenson was at the top level ready to enjoy the show when a different type of tune blasted through the police cars. A driver evading police authorities ran his car into a sidewalk killing four people, and injuring several others.
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Photos by Shannon Price
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“We are still getting over it,” he told the publication, “We’ve had some group counseling.”
Swenson said there will be overall festival monitoring, and there will be direct contact with the police emergency center. To avoid confusion between official SXSW events and unofficial ones, Swenson said a comprehensive safety plan has been created which the city has already approved. In case something happens, authorities know who to call.
Jane Hervey who witnessed last year’s SXSW crash, is hosting a big group of friends for the festival and she said she is not hesitant to go back. She said last year’s accident it did not seem preventable.
“If someone is trying to run away from a cop, they are going to drive through a barricade,” she said.
Hervey said the real problem is infrastructure, location, and culture and all of these issues are present every night downtown.
“I think it’s a good thing that we have this very open-minded culture,” Hervey said, “At the same time it leaves the door open for people to just make really poor decisions."
Commander Pruett is hopeful that everything will run more smoothly this year. Unlike Hervey, he said the blame is on the driver.
“I think that could happen any time at any day,” he said, “It was an intentional act on that person to do what they did. I don’t think it’s a cultural deal.”
Being aware of your surroundings, even if you are sober, staying in groups, respecting the crosswalks, and immediately reporting suspicious activity are all recommendations Commander Pruett gives to festival goers.
“We want you to enjoy and have fun, but be very suspicious and aware of what's going on around you,” he said, “and drink responsibly.”
Swenson said there will be overall festival monitoring, and there will be direct contact with the police emergency center. To avoid confusion between official SXSW events and unofficial ones, Swenson said a comprehensive safety plan has been created which the city has already approved. In case something happens, authorities know who to call.
Jane Hervey who witnessed last year’s SXSW crash, is hosting a big group of friends for the festival and she said she is not hesitant to go back. She said last year’s accident it did not seem preventable.
“If someone is trying to run away from a cop, they are going to drive through a barricade,” she said.
Hervey said the real problem is infrastructure, location, and culture and all of these issues are present every night downtown.
“I think it’s a good thing that we have this very open-minded culture,” Hervey said, “At the same time it leaves the door open for people to just make really poor decisions."
Commander Pruett is hopeful that everything will run more smoothly this year. Unlike Hervey, he said the blame is on the driver.
“I think that could happen any time at any day,” he said, “It was an intentional act on that person to do what they did. I don’t think it’s a cultural deal.”
Being aware of your surroundings, even if you are sober, staying in groups, respecting the crosswalks, and immediately reporting suspicious activity are all recommendations Commander Pruett gives to festival goers.
“We want you to enjoy and have fun, but be very suspicious and aware of what's going on around you,” he said, “and drink responsibly.”