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3 Training Tips For Your Security Staff In Responding to a Panic Button Incident

3 TRAINING TIPS FOR YOUR SECURITY STAFF IN RESPONDING TO A PANIC BUTTON INCIDENT

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Installing a panic button solution in your facility is a great first step toward many benefits for your business. It helps to make your employees safer, cover your bases in the event of an incident, ward off negative press, and increase employee morale. But installing the technology is only the first step. Once you have a system in place, you’ll also want to make sure that your security staff is trained and ready to respond appropriately to an incident.

Here are some of our tips for just a few of the things you can consider. Of course, for every industry, your needs will be slightly different, so the exact application of these things may differ. Defer to your security staff for their expertise.

1. ASK QUESTIONS.

The point of your duress alarm system is to protect employees from risk of danger and rescue them in a vulnerable situation, hopefully before any damage is done. However, it is not the panic button that rescues them, it is the people who come to their aid who make the difference. In order to promote the successful outcome in any panic button incident, it’s a good idea to start by asking the questions that you’ll want to answer. Here are some examples.

  • What happens when a panic button is pushed?
  • Whose responsibility is it to respond?
  • How many responders are required to go to the scene?
  • What is the acceptable time threshold between hearing the alarm and security responders arriving at the scene?
  • What other tasks could potentially prevent our security staff from being able to respond immediately?
  • How do we mitigate against the risk that simultaneous problems could lead to someone getting hurt?
  • What priority do we place on a panic button incident versus other security incidents that our staff may encounter?
  • How do we ensure that everyone knows the hierarchy of priorities and will choose according to the highest priority task in the event of a conflict?
  • When responders arrive at the scene, what methods are they authorized to use to intervene?
  • At what point will the authorities or emergency personnel be notified? Who is responsible for this?

2. MONITOR YOUR DURESS ALARM NOTIFICATIONS

If someone pushes a panic button because they are in trouble, but no one is there to observe the alarm, then the panic button won’t do any good. The great thing about the Securalert system is that you can set up many different types of notifications, from mobile alerts to integrations with things like sirens or strobe lights. Ensure that the appropriate parties will know immediately whenever a button is pushed.

3. HOLD DRILLS, AND TIME THEM

There’s a well-known saying in the security industry that when an incident occurs, you don’t rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training. Theoretical knowledge of “what you would do” can only go so far. Conduct regular drills, time them, and work on reducing the time it takes to respond to an incident anywhere in your facility.

Securalert is the premier panic button technology in the industry today, with 20 years of experience, an affordable solution, and hardware that is quick to install. Contact us today to get started with your implementation of Securalert panic buttons.

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