Poll - Emergency Response Training

[SecTrainer]

This question pertains to hours of formal training specifically in emergency response. Such training would likely incorporate emergency situation recognition, responder safety, reporting, and response procedures (for instance, pre-incident preparation, call-out/notification procedures, command center setup, evacuation decisions and procedures, HVAC and other system shutdown procedures, victim assessment and rapid triage, etc.). Ideally, it would also have a component dealing with after-action issues such as debriefing and response assessment, responder stress, etc.

If you are an officer, indicate the number of hours you have received in your current job or are required to complete by some definite date. If your company does not require ER training but will pay for it or reimburse your expenses, there's an answer selection for that situation also.

If you're a consultant, you may answer by indicating the number of hours you recommend that officers should receive.

If you're a company owner or security department manager, you may answer by indicating the number of hours your officers are mandated to receive or, if you do not provide such training, indicate whether your company or agency will reimburse officers who obtain it on their own.

[Bill Warnock]

Here again SecTrainer, my experience amply demonstrated to me much of emergency preparation has been lip service. Typical answer I've received was, "Oh, he was in the military and has had all that training and if we have an emergency, he'll be able to help and coach the others."
That answer is no answer. The assumption is everyone in the military receives indepth training, and that is not the case.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[ScottFree]

The thing that i have found most astonishing is that far to many people look to security as a whole to "know what to do" in case of an emergency.

Security is often looked at in a less than favorable light in much of my (contract security) experience, yet looked at as the all provider in any emergency situation.

For example, i was working at a high end residential gated community in ranch santa fe during the california wild fires of 2006.

My officers made $10 an hour at that time and most if not all were in the evacuation zone.

I actually had my first real desire to strike someone in my 13 years of experience when i was approached by a resident on the monday following our return to the site.

This individual claimed to be retired NJPD, so i feel he should have known better, but i will relate briefly how the exchange went.NJPD being the resident and well, me being me

NJPD "So where was security during the fire"
Me "Sir, we returned to the site as soon as the National Guard opened the road"
NJPD "You're a f***ing liar,you never tried to get back here, i had to open the gate myself last week"
Me " Sir, not only did i check that day, but there was no power, and since all locks to the site office are electronic, we were unable to return until your HOA instructed us to"
NJPD "You know thats a bunch of bull**it, why do we even have security if youre not around when we need you"
Me " Sir as i stated earlier we returned as soon as your HOA cleared us to, and some even tried to return earlier"
NJPD "As i stated earlier youre a f***ing liar"
Me "Im sorry you feel that way sir, but please speak to your HOA for any matters regarding when our officers were allowed back onsite"
NJDP "Its not the way i feel, its a fact, youre a useless piece of s**t just like the rest of the guards are. I dont even know why we have you around here"
Me " Well sir, you would have to once again ask your HOA. I know that myself and the day officer stayed until she was told by our onsite fire department that we HAD to evacuate. Before that time we were following your HOA evac plan (here he interrupts"
NJPD " You didnt evacuate us at all, the fire department did. This is what i mean about you being a liar, im done dealing with you"
Me " Well sir i would have to say its me thats done dealing with you. I am not required to be abused, so i am going to ask you to proceed through the gate, and address your issues to the HOA please"
NJPD as he drives off "A**hole!!!!"

So realizing he had been through alot, and was probably still a bit frightened, i would have to ask the rest of you how you would have responded to that incident, and realize the more training you have, the better off you are.

[Bill Warnock]

Why does this not surprise me!
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[JB diligence]

working in a plant with a smorgasbord of hazardous gasses and chemicals, we must be well versed in the "plans". However plans need to work property, and a community response plan has to work as well. This comes by testing the plans.

Then again I have heard it said, 'you must have a plan, whether it works or not is another thing'...

I wonder how many of the Emerg. Prep. 'plans' at many plant's as well as cities will actually work, properly when they are truly needed, and that is my biggest concern.

I recently had an emergency at my plant where I was working in our plant's control centre. I felt bad cause I made a mistake while activating alarms, though no one was injured as a result, it was my in my face conscious that put the boots to me as I knew that my mistake could have cost lives.

My much more senior coworker, during the debrief told me (after telling me never to admit guilt) 'You didn't fail, the system failed you because it let you make that mistake'. One thing is for certain, I will always remember that incident and never make that same mistake again! This, at the meeting screamed a clear lack TRAINING/PRACTICE/DRILLS, to us all at the meeting in respect to these types of emergencies and dealing with them.

We are and should be expected to handle situations, in order to do such training and practice are the words to go by.

As far as larger issues such as overall large scale company/community plan, I guess some just don't want to catch that hot potato... And that complacency is the kicker, the old 'hoping it won't happen here' just isn't good enough for me, shouldn't be for anyone else, and fankley bothers me most.


Sorry if I went off topic, hit a soft spot called moral conscious on my part.

Be safe.

JB

[HotelSecurity]

Quebec's CSST (the same as the US's OSHA) pays companies to send employees to 16 hour first aid in the workplace courses. It also requires 1 first aider per 50 employees.

[Bill Warnock]

JB, you did not stray off message. Plans are full of phrases "Assumptions" and "local assistance will be available" that are pure balony (balderdash, bilge, bunkum bunk, claptrap and so forth and so on). If you don't exercise plans, you open yourself to disaster. We will evacuate through gate #7. As an umpire, or in the real world, block gate #7 and watch the folks go crazy.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[HotelSecurity]

The thing that i have found most astonishing is that far to many people look to security as a whole to "know what to do" in case of an emergency.

Security is often looked at in a less than favorable light in much of my (contract security) experience, yet looked at as the all provider in any emergency situation.

For example, i was working at a high end residential gated community in ranch santa fe during the california wild fires of 2006.

My officers made $10 an hour at that time and most if not all were in the evacuation zone.

I actually had my first real desire to strike someone in my 13 years of experience when i was approached by a resident on the monday following our return to the site.

This individual claimed to be retired NJPD, so i feel he should have known better, but i will relate briefly how the exchange went.NJPD being the resident and well, me being me

NJPD "So where was security during the fire"
Me "Sir, we returned to the site as soon as the National Guard opened the road"
NJPD "You're a f***ing liar,you never tried to get back here, i had to open the gate myself last week"
Me " Sir, not only did i check that day, but there was no power, and since all locks to the site office are electronic, we were unable to return until your HOA instructed us to"
NJPD "You know thats a bunch of bull**it, why do we even have security if youre not around when we need you"
Me " Sir as i stated earlier we returned as soon as your HOA cleared us to, and some even tried to return earlier"
NJPD "As i stated earlier youre a f***ing liar"
Me "Im sorry you feel that way sir, but please speak to your HOA for any matters regarding when our officers were allowed back onsite"
NJDP "Its not the way i feel, its a fact, youre a useless piece of s**t just like the rest of the guards are. I dont even know why we have you around here"
Me " Well sir, you would have to once again ask your HOA. I know that myself and the day officer stayed until she was told by our onsite fire department that we HAD to evacuate. Before that time we were following your HOA evac plan (here he interrupts"
NJPD " You didnt evacuate us at all, the fire department did. This is what i mean about you being a liar, im done dealing with you"
Me " Well sir i would have to say its me thats done dealing with you. I am not required to be abused, so i am going to ask you to proceed through the gate, and address your issues to the HOA please"
NJPD as he drives off "A**hole!!!!"

So realizing he had been through alot, and was probably still a bit frightened, i would have to ask the rest of you how you would have responded to that incident, and realize the more training you have, the better off you are.

What does HOA mean?

[SentrySam]

HOA- Home Owners Association
ScottFree sounds as if you handled the incident quite well given the situation. Retired PD or basic civilian the emotions must have been stretched nearly to the "breaking point" Sam

[Blade Runner]

The thing that i have found most astonishing is that far to many people look to security as a whole to "know what to do" in case of an emergency.

Security is often looked at in a less than favorable light in much of my (contract security) experience, yet looked at as the all provider in any emergency situation.

For example, i was working at a high end residential gated community in ranch santa fe during the california wild fires of 2006.

My officers made $10 an hour at that time and most if not all were in the evacuation zone.

I actually had my first real desire to strike someone in my 13 years of experience when i was approached by a resident on the monday following our return to the site.

This individual claimed to be retired NJPD, so i feel he should have known better, but i will relate briefly how the exchange went.NJPD being the resident and well, me being me

NJPD "So where was security during the fire"
Me "Sir, we returned to the site as soon as the National Guard opened the road"
NJPD "You're a f***ing liar,you never tried to get back here, i had to open the gate myself last week"
Me " Sir, not only did i check that day, but there was no power, and since all locks to the site office are electronic, we were unable to return until your HOA instructed us to"
NJPD "You know thats a bunch of bull**it, why do we even have security if youre not around when we need you"
Me " Sir as i stated earlier we returned as soon as your HOA cleared us to, and some even tried to return earlier"
NJPD "As i stated earlier youre a f***ing liar"
Me "Im sorry you feel that way sir, but please speak to your HOA for any matters regarding when our officers were allowed back onsite"
NJDP "Its not the way i feel, its a fact, youre a useless piece of s**t just like the rest of the guards are. I dont even know why we have you around here"
Me " Well sir, you would have to once again ask your HOA. I know that myself and the day officer stayed until she was told by our onsite fire department that we HAD to evacuate. Before that time we were following your HOA evac plan (here he interrupts"
NJPD " You didnt evacuate us at all, the fire department did. This is what i mean about you being a liar, im done dealing with you"
Me " Well sir i would have to say its me thats done dealing with you. I am not required to be abused, so i am going to ask you to proceed through the gate, and address your issues to the HOA please"
NJPD as he drives off "A**hole!!!!"

So realizing he had been through alot, and was probably still a bit frightened, i would have to ask the rest of you how you would have responded to that incident, and realize the more training you have, the better off you are.

I'm REEEAALLY glad i was not in your shoes that day.......LOL......Situation very well handled.

[Son-Of-A-Pilot]

We are required to take the 8-hour Red Cross 1st aid and CPR/AED training then we also require 16-hours OJT.

[Mr. Chaple]

20 hrs first aid/CPR/AED
80 hrs Fire fighting/confined entry resuce/haz-mat response (but about 16hrs of that was fire prevention and fixed fire suppression system monitoring and maintenance, and another 16 was OSHA Haz-Mat standards)