Wind is the natural enemy of outdoor special events. Rain, snow, hot/cold temperatures can all be troublesome, but wind can cause the worst problems.
One of the questions we are frequently asked is what steps can be taken to prevent crowd control fence that is covered with branding from blowing over during an event. Option #1 on the list is HIGHLY recommended for any fence that will have branding on it regardless of predicted wind on event day.
Here are some options:
- Sandbags, lots of them. A fence line that has at least one sandbag per every other fence panels will do significantly better at resisting wind than with no sandbags. This method is the most cost effective, though it offers the lease mitigation of wind related disturbance of the fence line.
- Sandbags on every fence panel. Much better, though less effective than the “every other” method.
- Sandbags on fence in combination with securing the fence to the ground with a mechanical fastener. Our fence panel bases have a hole at the end that allows for a spike, common nail, or ramset to be used to secure the fence line in place. Most of time, we simply rely on the nail or spike to keep the fence from sliding out from under the sandbags. The trade off with this method is additional setup/break down time, and possible damage to the road way)
- Buttresses. If space allows, a fence panel can be secure to the fence line at a 90° angle to act as a buttress to the fence line. This approach, coupled with sandbags is the most effective solution to mitigating wind disturbances of the fence line without the additional time (and possible road damage) needed to put mechanical fasteners into the roadway. The trade off with this method is the added expense of additional fence panels and a slightly longer setup/break down time.