Tips on Bomb Threat Response from a Security Expert

A bomb threat in business, university or school is something no one really wants to think about – but managed security services know that it’s essential to have bomb response protocols in place if a threat this serious arises. Here’s some important security advice from an experienced security expert.

• Customize plans for your location and risks: Security experts recommend that you develop a customized security plan rather than applying a generic one, as this is unlikely to recognize the specific threats and vulnerabilities that your organization faces. For example, a university will face very different security threats than a marathon or a research laboratory. Developing these protocols should involve security advice and a comprehensive audit by your managed security services partner, including an evaluation of man-made barriers, neighboring entities, current security systems and more.
• Scenario-based training: Once you have developed your protocols with the help of a security expert, it’s important to do regular training based on a variety of scenarios based on their likeliness of occurring. There’s no guarantee that your entire team will be available in the event of a security issue, so training should also consider what should happen if certain staff members are unavailable. Your managed security services partner should play an active role in these scenarios, assisting with training and security advice.
• Keep your team informed: Your team should meet at regular intervals with your managed security services partner to ensure that each person is kept up-to-date on protocols and new threats. They should all know what to do in the event that they receive a suspicious package, how to identify credible threats, and who to contact.
• Keep plans and protocols confidential: Outside of your selected team and the security expert you work with, your security and response protocols should be kept confidential. If these are available publicly or throughout your organization, it can equip a potential aggressor with the information they need to make their threat or attack more effectively.
• Build relationships with useful partners: Good fences make good neighbors and, in the event of an emergency, it’s important to have mutual support in place from neighboring organizations, law enforcement, and emergency response teams. This may mean making neighbors aware of potential threats to your organization (they can act to make you aware of any suspicious activity) or having a plan in place where you can evacuate to a safe location on their property.

If you would like to create a comprehensive strategy for addressing bomb threats and similar security threats to your organization, it’s important to get security advice from an experienced security expert who can deliver customized, industry-leading managed security services. 

5 Ways That Your Business Can Benefit from Security Guard Services

Security consultants provide useful insight into identifying the risks that different businesses and organizations face as well as providing expert security advice and solutions to improve productivity, safety, and workflow in the workplace. Here is some insight into the benefits of security guard services as part of a comprehensive business security solution.

1. Improve customer service – Security guards can take an active role in assisting clients and customers visiting your business, providing professional assistance with directions and other queries. They can also assist disabled visitors, senior citizens and other visitors having difficulty moving through your premises, including moving people to the front of queues and so on.
2. Developing a robust security plan – Security guard services that are professionally trained by your security consultant can take an active role in securing your business and creating a safe and welcoming workplace. They are trained to give you security advice, help you develop and carry out security plans on your premises, including plans to prevent or act in the event of different types of criminal activity and disaster scenarios such as fires, active shooters, robbery, gas leaks, and unauthorized access. Once protocols have been developed, your security guard services can train your staff, give them security advice, inform them about the importance of workplace security and even run emergency preparedness drills.
3. Respond in the event of an emergency – Your security guards are your first line of response in the event of a workplace emergency, whether it is a robbery, fire or even a medical emergency. In addition to contacting and guiding emergency responders and law enforcement, they can provide first aid, and manage the emergency situation so that it doesn’t get worse.
4. Provide access control and surveillance – In addition to screening employees and visitors entering your premises and ensuring compliance with access control systems, security guard services can also actively assist in ensuring that access controlled areas within your premises are kept secure. By becoming familiar with your organization and its security systems, security guards will know what identification and security access is required for different spaces, as well as which employees have the correct level of clearance. This monitoring can be done physically as well as through video surveillance monitoring.
5. Be a visual crime deterrent – Security consultants can demonstrate that uniformed security guards who patrol and actively monitor your business are a very effective deterrent for criminal activity, preventing the majority of opportunistic and planned criminal activity. They can also act undercover and work in plain clothes to assist business owners and law enforcement in capturing criminals.

Finding quality security guard services means partnering with a security consultant who will take the time to understand your organization’s security needs, perform a comprehensive security audit, give you experience-based security advice and deliver highly-trained and effective security guards as part of a layered, customized security solution.