Any job in physical security can be dangerous. Security guards are typically on the front lines, and they are often the first ones on the scene when crime or emergencies occur in their patrol area. Unfortunately, staying safe isn’t always easy; security guards often patrol dark, isolated, or otherwise dangerous areas, and some dedicated criminals won’t let anything stand between them and their goal. Thankfully, security guards can follow a few different strategies to stay safe at work. Here are some tips that security guards use to keep themselves safe while protecting their clients’ properties.
Security Guards Stay Safe by Being Familiar with Their Surroundings
Security professionals typically have an edge over the criminals they try to deter and detect. Being familiar with a property’s layout, vulnerabilities, and exits is critical for security personnel, and security guards should foster this familiarity and use it to their advantage. Knowing where intruders can hide and where trespassers are most likely to enter can help security officers patrol more effectively and stay alert and aware of their surroundings. Familiarity with physical surroundings isn’t the only important thing: every facility has its typical routines, traffic patterns, and visitors. Security professionals must get to know these patterns.
Security Guards Follow Routines
Security guards must be familiar with a property’s routines, but they must also develop their own. Many security officers start their shifts by inspecting their equipment. Communication devices, protective gear, flashlights, and patrol vehicles must all be in working order for a security guard to patrol safely and effectively. Patrols themselves often feature common elements: checking doors and windows for evidence of foul play, checking in with workers in remote or vulnerable locations, and ensuring a secure perimeter are all common aspects of a security guard’s patrol routine.
Security Guards are Also Unpredictable
Routines are vital, but spontaneity is just as important. Criminals can ambush or get around security guards who follow predictable patrol routes, and being a bit unpredictable is an asset for security guards. Many security professionals stay consistently inconsistent by taking different (yet thorough) patrol routes during each shift. Keeping criminals guessing is not only a great way to deter crime, but it is also helpful in keeping security officers safely out of harm’s way.
CES is Dedicated to Serving Our Community
Since opening in 1975, we have been committed to serving businesses in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Our values include proactive communication, honesty, reliability, and quality. We also believe in paying unparalleled attention to detail, no matter which service you require us to provide.
Our services include the following: professional security teams for permanent, temporary, emergency and rapid-response support; around-the-clock patrols and management attention; concierge and hospitality staffing; and a dedicated mobile patrol service with associated staffing. Contact us for a free, professional consultation today! Call 443-471-7000. Don’t forget to follow us on social media through Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn!