I Get A Quasi-Vacation!

[LavianoTS386]

I've been having some problems recently about getting more than 32 hrs a week, so yesterday the district manager called me. He wants to know if I want to go a mall about and 1hr & a half from where I live to cover a spot left vacant by a major catastrophy. Apparently there was a problem with a supervisor and more than half the guard staff walked off. That supervisor is gone, along with most of the crew and they need coverage. So I'll be put up in a hotel, my gas will be paid for as well as my meals. If I work all three of my normal days off I get two days overtime. I agreed.

The way I figure is that sure I have to work 8-hours, but I'll be someplace I've never been before and the remaining 8-hours I can spend going to the local attractions.

Have any of you guys done something similar? Ever do any special assignments?

[HotelSecurity]

I've been sent to do one day assingments at our hotels in Hull Quebec & Hartford Conn.. I spent a few days in Ste. Foy Quebec programming their electronic locks. I went back every six months or so to train the person who was taking care of them there, until we sold this hotel. I've yet to be sent to our hotel at the Meadowlands in New Jersey but imagine that I will have to go there one day.

[Jackhole]

There's not many attractions in Oneonta. Work as much as you can to distract yourself from being in a dump.

[LavianoTS386]

^ Shhh...It works better when I tell myself there are attractions. Just being in a hotel and being somplace I've never been will make me feel like I'm on a vacation.

[Jackhole]

Wait until you see the Southside Mall.

[LavianoTS386]

^ Uh oh what does that mean!

[Lawson]

Closest Ive ever had to that was on Hurricane duty in Louisiana.

I had a relatively simple post that I worked from 1900-0700. Just sit in a car and watch the post.

I had never been to Mississippi or Louisiana (NOLA in particular) and they were both places on my "go to before dying" list. I was given a rental car, they flew me both ways (flew 1st Class back home ) they paid for my gas, free food from the site (had some good southern caterers down there cooking up some good food), plus Wackenhut provided tons of MREs, deli food, Powerade, water, soda pop, etc... We were told if we needed anything we were allowed to go to the FEMA trailers to collect some provisions as well. (Which I never did, never had the need to). I was also boarded in a hotel for my time down there. They threw me $224/wk at me Per Diem (cash in hand).

It was very much like a vacation, I got to see a place I'd never seen before, met some new people, made a ton of money and was very well taken care of. This is one of the reasons I have such a high regard for Wackenhut.

[N. A. Corbier]

Sounds like they put someone who knew what they were doing (as in PR and logistics) in charge of NOLA. Especially since every Wackenhut person down there was near the media, and could make Wackenhut's life hell if they weren't being taken care of.

[Jackhole]

^ Uh oh what does that mean!

It means the place is Redneck Central. The mullet to store ratio is almost 1:1.

[Jackhole]

Are you back yet? How was your trip?

[LavianoTS386]

^ I'm just back today.

All in all it wasn't that bad. But boy redneck central is correct. When I first pulled up to the place I thought it was a strip mall! Everything in that place in micro-managed. And the wages in the general area suck. The guards at the mall are only contracted at $8.00 an hour, $9.25 for a supervisor. I make more than I site supervisor there! The senior most officer there was 21 yrs olds, been there a month and a half, had two kids and a wife.

The mall manager was so very pleased with the other guard working with me and myself that she called up the district office to complment us. The reason we were so good and professional is because we get paid a decent wage, unlike the guards she pays for at 8.00.

I must have heard Rent-a-cop twenty times my first 2 days there; a phrase that doesn't rear it's head at the hospital. At one point some kids from the Job Corps were trying to start crap. One of the other guys told one kid to stop dribbling his basketball in the mall and instead of complying, he just flipped my fellow guard off. So I went up to the group:

Kid: You a security guard?

ME: What's it look like to you? You need something?

Kid: You're a security guard?

ME: (Grabs badge, looks) What do you think? It says guard on it, so I guess I am.

Then the group of kids left. I think they expected me to tuck tail and let them ride herd.

I did have a very good time though. The people were great and it was nice to have an actual office instead of craphouse like my usual site. All and all not bad.