The Process of Security Guards Handling Emergency Situations

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Security Guards Handling Emergency SituationsHow do security guards handle emergency situations? They’re expected to be physically and mentally “on the scene” where they should perform a variety of duties in order to manage the scene for safety’s sake. Guards are in charge of protecting people and property from harm as best as they can.

Identify the Problem

Guards need to be able to identify emergency situations which could include fire, bombs, weapons, suspicious packages and explosive devices. They have to assess what “could” happen, and then follow procedures taught to them during training in order to react properly to the situation at hand.

Know Their Role

Before a guard begins working on site, their employer or client should determine their role in potential emergency situations. They should be able to answer the question, “What is my role if this or that should happen?” That way, the employer/client and guard are on the same page.

Say, for example, an alarm sounds in the building where the guard works. Is his or her duty to call the client/police and wait for their response/arrival? Or are they supposed to investigate the cause of that alarm while securing the scene for safety’s sake? In certain cases, guards might need to activate a fire alarm and/or call the fire department. Meanwhile, they’re responsible for crowd control and/or evacuating the premises.

Ancillary Duties

Basically, security guards have many duties. They look for fire hazards and do their best to prevent fire from happening; if there is a fire, they’re the ones to respond to alarms and contact authorities, including dispatchers and supervisors. If and when a crime occurs, a guard should call police and have them handle it. Guards can also secure and protect a crime scene.

C.O.P. Security, Inc., offers professional, dependable security in the Rochester, NY region. Guards can handle foot patrol, vehicle patrol, and special event security. You can ask for armed or unarmed guards. Do you have any questions about hiring professional security guards and how they’d help deal with emergency situations? Please call C.O.P. Security at 585-750-5608 or email rbarton@copsecuritycorp.com.

How Many Security Guards Do I Need for My Event?

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Security Guards for Events You’re having an event and you want to hire security guards. Inevitably, you’ll ask yourself this question: “How many guards do I need?” Most times, people underestimate the number with the intent to not spend “too much” money on guards, but in today’s increasingly violent (and sometimes bizarre) world, safety needs to be a chief concern. Event planners should, therefore, always err on the side of caution, and not be afraid to spend the necessary money in order to protect their guests and property/venue well.

Ideally, guards are there at an event to keep order and keep the event planner’s risk at a minimum.

Prepare for the Unforeseen

First, for your event, think of all the likely scenarios that could go wrong. Then think, “How many guards would be needed for crowd control and to put people at ease if the worst happened?” Start from there with your thinking…

Event Type

Next, will there be alcohol at the event? If so, that automatically increases the need for more guards, because drunk guests cause problems that guards have to take care of… a heavy metal concert where beer is served is a lot different than, say, an alcohol-free church concert.

If no alcohol is present at your event, then consider having one guard for every 150 guests. If alcohol is present, then go with one guard for every 75 guests. Keep in mind that guards often end up watching over gates, doors, and assets, so plan accordingly.

Security Guards for Larger Events

What about small events? If there are less than 10 people, you probably don’t need a guard. Most events, however, tend to fall in the range of 10 to 50 guests. With that scenario, two to four guards make sense. Get more guards if the area covered is larger, with people scattered throughout many areas.

Larger events, with 50 to 250 people, mean that you should consider hiring and utilizing four to twelve guards. If the event brings 250 to 1,000 people, then it’s a good idea to have twelve to thirty guards.

Want to discuss your event with a security professional, to get a better idea of exactly how many guards would be ideal for your particular situation? Please call C.O.P. Security at 585-750-5608.

Here’s Why You Should Consider Hiring Security Guards for a New Year’s Eve Party

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Security Guards for New Year's Eve There are generally two types of drunks: happy ones and angry ones. The happy ones will sing off-key, loudly, while putting their arm around you as they stumble over to the punch bowl for more spiked punch. The angry ones will shout, “What are you looking at?” Even if you’re not looking at them, or whatever, they’ll want to start a fight. And when an angry drunk starts throwing fists at you, it can ruin an otherwise nice New Year’s Eve party.

If you’re in charge of a New Year’s Eve party or event this year, consider hiring C.O.P. Security guards for it. It’s important to have some guards on hand in case things threaten to get out of control, or worse– actually do get totally out of control. All it takes is one mad drunk swearing up a storm and threatening to hurt others in the room to cause major trouble– the kind where people get arrested.

Meanwhile, having security guards at your New Year’s party is a good idea if you want to make sure your party-goers feel safe. Guards can make sure no one is rifling through people’s coats and purses left on a table in a corner of the room. They can call a cab for drunk folks who shouldn’t be driving home. And they can talk people out of doing bad things, such that no one gets hurt. They’re good for crowd control.

New Year’s parties and events tend to be crowded, with people squished into tight spaces together. Security guards help keep the peace, ensuring that property doesn’t get damaged and people don’t get assaulted. Party-goers will appreciate that there’s someone to assist them should something go wrong, like a missing wallet or there’s a jerk talking trash who needs to be escorted outside. Indeed, guards are often called upon to keep certain people from the premises– people who are unwelcome at parties and events but who will stop at nothing to try to get in!

To book security guards for your New Year’s Eve events in the Rochester, NY region, please call C.O.P. Security at 585-750-5608 or email rbarton@copsecuritycorp.com.

Safety Precautions That Security Guards Take

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Security Precautions Ever wonder what fills the mind of a security guard on duty? He or she has to take precautions for their own safety! You can learn from them when you discover what some of the things they do to stay safe include…

Plan to Be One Step Ahead

For starters, smart security guards are always planning ahead. That means their mind goes to the worst-case scenario, just in case. When a guard enters a room or gathering area, he or she takes note of all entrances and exits, with an emphasis on the exits. Guards also do their homework, learning about the layout of a place before they guard it. The more informed about “what is where,” the better.

Know the Layout

Guards familiarize themselves with their surroundings, always on the lookout for things that seem out of place or out of the ordinary. These can be obstructions or safety hazards for example. They also notice where stairways are located, as well as doors and exits. Walking a patrol route is a main way guards see and note “what’s going on.”

Bring the Right Equipment

You might not know it but security guards often wear body armor to protect themselves from threats, which can include knives, spiked weapons and, of course, guns. Did you know there are different types of body armor available offering different types of protection? A guard remembers to wear his or her protective equipment/vest when needed.

Stay Ahead of Issues

Guards also need to make sure they’re not using faulty equipment. They might ask themselves, “Is my radio working correctly?” or “Does my protective vest have any holes in it?” If they’re using a vehicle to patrol an area, they ensure that it’s in good working order– fixing fluid leaks or inflating the tires to correct pressure, etc.– such that they’re never at a disadvantage should a problem arise and they need to be quick to react.

Finally, security guards have limits. If and when the situation could lead them to extreme danger, they don’t have to respond and be the hero. They can call for back-up/call the police for help.

A security guard’s brain is always “on,” and they need to use their brain wisely to make smart decisions on the job.

If you’re in the market for reliable security services in the Rochester, NY area, contact COP Security today.

How Private Security Companies Help Citizens Stay Safe

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Professional Security Guards Private security companies like C.O.P. play an important role in keeping us safe. The police cannot be everywhere at all times. Therefore, private security helps fill their role of watching over people and making sure the peace is kept at places like banks, community pools, churches, shopping centers, offices and other places people live, work and play.

Security Guards Help in Dangerous Situations

Security guards are good to have around in case something dangerous or bad happens. Trained to perform several procedures, guards being present might mean the difference between life and death for a person or a group of people.

Security Guards as a Deterrent

It’s important to have visible security so that people who want to do others harm know they’re being watched– and if they know this, they’re less likely to commit crimes or harass people in the vicinity of guards. Meanwhile, guards are a set of eyes and ears on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary or suspicious going on– and can report people to the police, if needed.

Security Guards Can React to Suspicious Activity

Security guards can do random walks around properties to “surprise” those up to no good. On foot patrol, they might notice fires starting, obstructions in the way that could hurt someone (like a fallen tree branch), or a person who has fallen to the ground and can’t get up and needs help. Also, guards often utilize video surveillance technology to take a bird’s eye view of an area– focusing on anything that seems out of place or abnormal. By doing this, reports can be made of what happened where at what time– tracking people’s movements and whereabouts, which could come in handy in courtroom matters and such.

Security Guards Can Help Police Officers

If a security guard sees a crime being committed, they can make a citizen’s arrest. Not only can they detain the suspect, but also call the police on them. Guards are also important to have around for emergency situations, when people are looking for a leader to take direction from– a guard is trained to be reasonable, calm, matter-of-fact, and to take care of business even when others around them are scared out of their minds.

With all the violence in the world today, including bomb threats, terrorist attacks and school shootings, private security companies are more in demand than ever. There are a lot of people to watch over in this world!

If you’re looking for reliable security guards in the Rochester, NY area, contact COP Security today.

 

Should Schools Have More Security Guards?

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Security Guards in Schools Back in 2012, Adam Lanza killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Most of those people were young schoolchildren. Sadly, this was not/is not an isolated incident. Unfortunately, school shootings have become almost commonplace in America. More and more, one turns on the news only to hear about yet another school shooting where innocent lives have been taken by a rogue gunman. It’s a scary time to have kids in school.

Since our modern day society seems more violent than ever before, it only makes sense that schools should have more security guards.

The Benefits of Security Guards in Schools

Having security guards stationed in and around schools has many benefits. For starters, guards ultimately help to reduce incidences of violence. Especially if they’re armed, guards can deal with armed individuals who might threaten the safety of schoolchildren.

The presence of guards on school property helps reduce bullying and fighting. Short of having dads in schools to tell kids to “cut it out,” it’s imperative that some authority figures are there to “keep the peace” during the day. Guards can spot bad stuff happening and squash it before it gets out of hand. Their job is to lookout for the safety and well-being of everyone in school, from students to teachers and then some.

Guards at schools are able to increase the overall observation of students, such that they can inform parents of anything unusual or suspicious. Meanwhile, they’re right there, at school, if and when there are accidents, falls, or other safety incidents that need immediate attention.

It’s also a good thing to have more guards in schools because they provide guidance for both parents and strangers, while boosting security there, too. Rather than leaving teachers to deal with problems, guards help handle kids (and others) who need special attention and may or may not need to be arrested for their nefarious actions.

Finally, schools have a lot of entrances and exits and involve hundreds or more people coming and going daily while school is in session. Therefore, it’s important to have increased security checks on schoolchildren as well as “strangers” on the premises.

In the Rochester, NY region, C.O.P. Security offers dependable, professional security; please contact them at 585-750-5608 for more information.

How Security Guards Can Help Apartment Building Owners

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Apartment Building Security Guards Apartment building owners should consider hiring security guards to keep residents safe.

Apartment buildings often involve many tenants all living fairly close together. They tend to share a lot of common spaces, whether it’s their lobby, the hallways, or laundry rooms. Meanwhile, some apartment buildings include amenities like swimming pools or parking garages– all areas that should be watched over by someone who’s good at keeping the peace. When darkness falls and nighttime rolls around, that’s especially when people who are up to no good do their bad things– so that’s precisely when security guards are most needed.

Safety and security are paramount these days. Property managers need to realize that tenants expect to come home to their place and not be harassed or in fear of what they might find, such as shady dealings in the hallway or parking lot. And if there’s domestic violence, isn’t it good that a security guard is on patrol, hears those awful sounds of distress, and ultimately calls the cops to break up the fight? You can’t underestimate the importance of having eyes and ears patrolling the complex.

Having security guards on the premises of an apartment building can help deter loitering, criminal activity, and other problems.

There’s a difference between a camera watching a place and a human physically being there, watching it. A human security guard is a real-time responder, and that’s a good thing. Also, having one or more guards standing by or walking around shows that the building owners and managers are serious about safety and security. A watched and protected place is a good thing in a society where violence and criminal activity is rampant.

In a world that’s becoming increasingly automated and “digital,” one thing’s for sure: it still makes sense to have human security guards watching over a place.

COP Security can supply your Rochester, NY-area apartment building with one or more security guards as needed. Committed to providing reliable security, COP also serves other parts of Western New York, including Buffalo and Batavia. For more info about COP’s services and areas covered, please contact 585-750-5608.

What Power Do Security Guards Have?

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Security Guards What power or authority do security guards have? While their authority is not on par with police officers, they are able to enforce many similar things.

Take, for instance, rules at a private residence or a business. Whatever rules the owner has made are the rules a security guard can and should enforce– as long as the rules are legal. Some typical rules might include posted ones like “no shirt, no shoes, no service” or “no loitering.” Security guards need to be fair and consistent with the enforcement of rules.

Oftentimes, security guards ask people to “leave the premises,” especially if they’re causing a disturbance. This is a normal function of a guard, and one that’s perfectly acceptable. Once in a great while, if a person refuses, a guard might need to use reasonable force to remove someone from a certain area. If, for example, the person becomes violent, then it’s time for the guard to call the police and have them deal with that person. It’s not unusual for a security guard to call police to have them come arrest people who are doing something illegal.

What if someone is literally attempting to rob a place? Or they’ve shoplifted? Does a security guard have the power to arrest them? Not exactly, but they can detain them and perform what’s known as a “citizen’s arrest.” This sort of detainment/arrest can only be done if the guard has witnessed the crime or has reasonable suspicion that one occurred. Obviously the police have to be alerted within a reasonable period of time, so then they’ll deal with it. “Reasonable” means police should arrive within an hour– not something unusual like eight hours later.

Security guards serve an important role in the lives and businesses of many people in many places. From schools to mansions and churches to malls, security guards are everywhere, watching over people and doing the best to keep the peace. Furthermore, they help prevent theft, vandalism and crime in general. If you need security services, please contact C.O.P. Security of Rochester, NY, at 585-750-5608.

Why Teamwork Between Security Guards is Vital

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Security Teams Events often have many people gathered in multiple places, which can include tents, rooms, and fenced-in areas. Because events have a lot of people and take up a lot of space, it makes sense to have a team of security guards working them. Indeed, those guards need to work together as a team in order to do their job well. Think of it this way: TEAM = Together Everyone Achieves More. There is no “I” in team– it’s a collaborative effort among several people.

Any successful business, organization, or event requires smart teamwork if it’s going to work well for all involved. Security guards working at the same event need to be in constant communication with one another so they know who is where, when, and why. That way, all the areas that need to be covered get covered, without any sections lacking security. Teamwork is paramount to event security in order to maximize the effectiveness of having security present. Walkie Talkies, Phones, and other communication devices definitely come in handy, especially if guards are spread out over an area. There should also be a supervisor who checks on all of his or her guards at various points during the event to make sure things are running smoothly.

You’ve probably heard the phrase “all on the same page.” With security guards, everyone needs to be on the same page so they all know who’s who, where they need to be at certain times, and what their tasks are to be completed. Supervisors and managers, in particular, need to communicate with guards to achieve the goal of a safe and secure event. There’s nothing worse than having an event where nobody talks to one another and nobody knows “what’s going on.” Someone has to be in charge! Leadership and teamwork make all the difference between a good or bad event.

Event security often involves protecting a client’s assets, as well as people and property. There are usually a lot of details involved, and no one person can do the job of keeping the entire event safe. To sum it up, it takes great teamwork!

If you need a reliable security team for your event in the Rochester, NY area, contact COP Security today.

 

Obtain These Answers Before Hiring a Security Guard

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Security Guard Service There are stories of homeowner associations and other groups hiring security guard company to patrol the grounds because they were worried about teenagers vandalizing their gazebo and playgrounds. Things didn’t go well when problems happened but the guard was nowhere to be found– what was he doing? Where was he? Why didn’t he check that area like he was supposed to? These groups quickly found out the guard wasn’t doing his job well, and they needed to hire a different, more effective “on the ball” company whom they could trust.

Should you ever be in the position of hiring a security guard from a security guard company like C.O.P., there are some very good questions you should ask before signing on the dotted line.

Things to Find Out About a Security Guard Service

First, ask if the company is licensed with New York State in the Department of State, Division of Licensing. If they are, that means their guards have had background criminal checks. It also means their guards are screened and documented during the recruiting process.

Next, ask what kind of training their guards have done. Have they been trained to handle situations that might arise on your property or at your event? Do they know how to use weapons? How are their people skills– have they been trained on how to interact with the public in a proper way? How much of their training has been classroom versus “in the field/on the job?”

Also, ask if the company monitors their guards. This is really important. Guards shouldn’t just be able to go rogue, doing what they want when they want, answering to no one. Guards should have some supervision and keep track of their whereabouts and daily duties. Does the security guard company employ GPS tracking in order to monitor guards on duty? Do they communicate via phone, computer, or other ways?

Another good question to ask is this: “How long have you been in business?” Obviously, it’s nice to work with companies that have been around a while, since they know the area and its people better than newbies do.

Finally, inquire whether or not the guards provided are armed or unarmed.

Want to ask C.O.P. Security these questions and more? Call 585-750-5608.