Section overview

Security guards are expected to respond to emergency situations and to minimize the impact caused at a worksite. They may be required to perform a variety of duties during emergency procedures and must understand the importance of scene management. The trainer will address the potential roles of a security guard during an emergency situation and how to effectively complete these tasks.

Suggested duration

In class: 4 hours
Outside class: 4 hours

Minimum requirements

  1. identify the following criteria of a potential emergency
    • risk factors
    • fire emergencies
    • bomb emergencies
    • weapon emergencies
    • suspicious packages
    • explosive devices
  2. describe the following emergency response procedures
    • explain fire emergency response procedures
    • explain bomb emergency response procedures
    • explain weapon emergency response procedures
    • explain suspicious package emergency response procedures
    • explain explosive device emergency response procedures
  3. explain the potential roles of a security guard in emergency situations
  4. detail how to implement duty of care
    • describe legal requirements
    • detail how to protect and secure a crime scene

Note: There are four components in this section: Emergency situations, Emergency response procedures, Potential roles of a security guard during an emergency and Duty of care.

Emergency situation

Security guards may encounter emergency situations at a worksite. They will need to accurately identify the risk factors associated with fire threats, bomb threats, weapon emergencies, suspicious packages, and explosive devices and learn how to respond appropriately. The trainer outlines the different risk factors a security guard must be familiar with and how to protect individuals and property associated with an assignment (i.e. contain, activate, and evacuate). In addition to emergency responses, the trainer includes an overview of the basic principles of prevention and safety.

Working/detailed knowledge

Working

Suggested methodology

  1. pre-reading on different types of threats
  2. lecture with brief discussion
  3. case studies with analysis and group discussion
  4. learning journal

Emergency response procedures

Security guards must be comfortable when responding to emergency situations, familiar with different emergency procedures and must coordinate these procedures with organizational requirements and/or other personnel. Understanding the need for emergency response procedures and following the emergency response plan for a given site is vital to the security guard role. The trainer provides instruction on the following:

  • the different emergency response procedures (e.g. First Aid and CPR)
  • common tools associated with response procedures (e.g. fire extinguisher, sprinkler systems)
  • determining the safest and most appropriate response to a threat
  • how to preserve evidence
  • proper evacuation protocol and knowledge of access routes
  • how to control access for emergency services and provide necessary details
  • site-specific building occupant capacity limits (e.g. Ontario Fire Code and building specific regulations with respect to occupancy)

Working/detailed knowledge

Working

Suggested methodology

  1. pre-reading on standard protocols for emergency response
  2. lecture with brief discussion
  3. conduct emergency response activities
  4. case studies with analysis and group discussion
  5. learning journal

Potential roles of a security guard during an emergency

Security guards may be required to fulfill different roles during an emergency situation. They may have to assist other personnel (including police, fire, and ambulance) or take the lead in responding to the emergency. Security guards must be able to work alongside other personnel and quickly and accurately understand their role in a given situation. They must recognize when an emergency is beyond the scope of their job specifications and requires additional assistance. The trainer provides an overview of the relationships in the security industry, including a matrix with job titles, descriptions, responsibilities and the link between them to help security guards understand when a situation is beyond their scope and who to contact in specific emergency situations.

Working/detailed knowledge

Detailed

Suggested methodology

  1. pre-reading on different key roles for fire, police, medical staff and security in emergency situations
  2. lecture with brief discussion
  3. group discussion of emergency situations involving different emergency responses
  4. learning journal

Duty of care

Security guards need to be familiar with the concept of duty of care generally (what a reasonable person should do in a particular situation) and how this duty might impact them in securing a crime scene. They also need to be familiar with how to properly secure and protect a crime scene until the appropriate personnel arrive.

Working/detailed knowledge

Detailed

Suggested methodology

  1. pre-reading on duty of care and managing crime scenes
  2. case studies with consequences that emphasize the importance of duty of care and the protection of evidence
  3. student self-assessment - what would the student do in different situations?
  4. learning journal

Suggested training evaluation for section

A quiz on the types of emergency situations, different emergency response procedures and the role of a security guard in these emergencies.