DEVELOPING A STAFF EMERGENCY TRAINING PROGRAM

New York Arm- June 2003
A publication of the New York Association of Realty Managers

by Christopher Falkenberg

With attention focusing recently on the increased risk of terrorism, more and more residential buildings are relying upon their service staff, particularly doormen and elevator operators, to provide a security function. Typically, these staff members have neither training nor experience in responding to emergency situations. To be an effective presence, building personnel need to be educated in both proactive and reactive elements of security preparedness: employees must be instructed in what to do to prevent security and other emergencies from arising and taught how to respond if a crisis does occur. And while a terrorist attack would likely create a significant amount of damage and include loss of life, there are other, more pedestrian emergencies that also deserve attention when planning for crises.

The cornerstone of an emergency training program is the building emergency plan, a comprehensive document that considers a broad range of possible emergencies and establishes policies and procedures regarding each. In the area of security, these policies should include observation to the street and alleyways adjacent to the building. Things to look for include not only immediate security threats such as unauthorized entries but also ongoing surveillance to detect any suspicious activity. Fire and life safety issues must be addressed, including fire prevention steps to which the building expects its employees to be attentive. Equally important is how to respond should a fire start, notifying residents, commencing a safe evacuation and assisting the fire department upon arrival. Particularly important in newer buildings is basic training on use of the fire alarm, the meaning of different alarm signals and how the system notifies the fire department. Medical emergencies too should be considered in advance and addressed in the policy and procedure manual. The latter is particularly important in buildings with large numbers of elderly tenants.

Staff training should involve two distinct steps. First is the didactic element of teaching policies and procedures to the staff. This process is made more effective if the training is accompanied by reference material that the staff can use during work, such as an emergency checklist or crisis manual. The second (and in many ways more important) element of training is simulated exercises. These exercises should imitate regular conditions as much as possible, and should involve tenants and management as well. The planning of scenarios must address a wide range of possible emergencies, and should optimally include multiple variables. Examples include a fire during inclement weather, or a medical emergency on a high floor late at night when only a skeleton staff is on duty. Attempting to replicate the stress level of a true emergency is beneficial in that it reveals deficiencies in the building’s emergency plan (a great benefit of simulation exercises) and develops confidence among staff members who have successfully responded under pressure.

Building staff comprise the first line of defense against many threats to building security. Continuing training and education of these individuals can be of immeasurable benefit in minimizing those threats and one of the most cost effective means of making residents feel more comfortable and secure.

Christopher Falkenberg is President of Insite Security, Inc., a security and safety consulting firm in Manhattan. He is a former Special Agent of the U.S. Secret Service and an attorney. He may be reached at cfalkenberg@insitesecurity.com or at 212-362-5700.