AUSTIN, TX (CelebrityAccess) — In the wake of a crowd surge incident that left 9 people dead and hundreds more injured at the Astroworld Music Festival in Houston on Friday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the formation of the Texas Task Force on Concert Safety.
The task force will be led by Texas Music Office Director Brendon Anthony and will include a panel of safety experts, public safety officials, and relevant state agencies, as well as stakeholders from the entertainment industry.
Out of the gate, the task force will hold a series of roundtable discussions to analyze concert safety and develop ways to enhance security at live music events in Texas.
After the initial period of evaluation, the task force will develop recommendations to ensure concert safety and protect concertgoers.
“Live music is a source of joy, entertainment, and community for so many Texans — and the last thing concertgoers should have to worry about is their safety and security,” said Governor Abbott. ” To ensure that the tragedy that occurred at the Astroworld Festival never happens again in the Lone Star State, I am forming the Texas Task Force on Concert Safety. From crowd control strategies to security measures to addressing controlled substances, this task force will develop meaningful solutions that will keep Texans safe while maximizing the joy of live music events. I thank the members of this task force for coming together to work on this important issue.”
According to the Govenor’s Office, the entertainment industry reps on the panel will be announced in the coming dates.
At launch, the force includes representatives from the following organizations:
Texas Music Office
Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas
Sheriffs’ Association of Texas
Texas Department of Public Safety
Texas Municipal Police Association
Texas Police Chiefs Association
Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
Texas State Association of Fire Fighters
