IMFCON/IFFS 2014

OTW Safety made some great new friends, hobnobbed with musicians, and showed off our Billboard Barricade crowd control device at this year’s International Music Festival Conference and International Film Festival Summit in Austin, TX. As the official safety sponsor of both events, we tried our best not to be hall monitors… but crowd control is serious business.

That’s OTW’s own Eric Stevens (the handsome guy in the middle) participating in a panel discussion on music festival safety and security. Eric spoke about the tragic and sometimes deadly consequences that have resulted when event planners fail to develop a proper plan for safely directing their thousands of attendees. With attention, past mistakes can inform future decisions and prevent needless harm.

In addition to comparing notes with other industry leaders, we grabbed our fair share of drinks while chatting one-on-one with all the fascinating festival folk. People were genuinely interested in how the Billboard Barricade is revolutionizing crowd control.

For decades, event planners have relied on galvanized steel barricades. They’re heavy, hard to set up, and harder to store. They come in one color – gray – and the process of galvanization required to produce them creates several nasty byproducts that often seep into local ground water.

Our plastic alternative offers many colorful options and a built-in display panel that can be filled with anything from event information and directions, to sponsor logos and advertisements. These barricades are light enough to be set up quickly and efficiently by one person, but sturdy enough to meet any crowd control need.

To the city of Austin and all the friends we made, thanks for a great time!