Real Security Requires Training

The collapse of the Champlain Towers South 12-story condominium in Surfside, Florida last year provides  an example of  how important training is to insure the security of  everyone involved, in this instance the residents of the building. Megan Gates  on Today in Security reports on the consequences of the omission of training for all the security guards “to use the alert system to evacuate residents.”

“When you are responsible for protecting people, especially in a high-rise residential building, certain safety measures must be in place—including alarm systems, Russell Kolins, CEO of Kolins Security Group, says. Those measures must work, and security staff must be trained on how to use them so they can be deployed when an incident occurs.

“Training is overseen by supervisors who are responsible for assuring their client that the security officers working at their property have the capability to perform the duties according to the client’s requirements,” Kolins explains. “This means that not only do officers need to pass the initial test of their duties at a specific property, but also have to receive training consistently to test the officers’ knowledge of the property and skills to facilitate the security measures in place designed to save lives. To confirm the validity of the requisite to supervise, train and test, look at settlement in this matter. Securitas paid over half!”

Not all the Securitas guards at Champlain Towers “were trained to use the alert system to evacuate residents” the post notes.