Remaining cool, calm and collected during a high crime emergency situation may be
possible if you are a sociopath, but if you are an emotionally balanced and mentally intact
human being like most of us, our fight/flight/freeze response in our body kicks in well
before our brain has been able to process what is taking place.
Staying calm under pressure requires the ability to develop and maintain a particular state
of psychological readiness; it’s a trained mental preparedness which one can summon on
demand.
Effective Risk Communications
In South Africa, a private security guard is trained to be the first line of defence against
criminal attack. The security guard’s responsibility is to expect high risk situations and be
ready to react efficiently and effectively. Their performance is directly associated to
situational awareness, operative reaction and effective communication with their team
members.
Their success therefore is underpinned by the patrol systems and technology tools, such
as radio accessories, put in place to support them when faced with guarding and reacting
to high-risk situations around health and safety, alarm activations, crime scenes, criminal
activities and public conflicts.
South Africa has its own unique set of crime challenges, however when it comes to high
end stakes, there will always be criminals wanting to gain access and help themselves.
Entrepreneur magazine recently published an article asking How Many Bodyguards Does
It Take to Protect Mark Zuckerberg’s 5-Bedroom Mansion? The billionaire’s $7 million
Californian mansion is patrolled by 16 security guards, because that is how the world-
famous Facebook co-founder and CEO wants to protect his privacy and his assets.
Back on home ground, security patrols protect assets at manufacturing and industrial sites, often located on remote sites and over large areas where an effective radio communication security plan is essential to monitor, protect and alert around real-time crime scenarios as they happen, so response teams can perform a successful security prevention operation.
The simplicity, ruggedness, and reliability of the T529 Patrol Radio for patrol guard
communication has proved itself again and again. Let’s see why?
A Guarding Communications Security Plan
In South Africa, a professional guarding service needs to be both reliable and cost-
effective. A guarding companies risk prevention and security plan will have at least three
objectives:
- Reducing the level of threat;
- Reducing vulnerabilities;
- Improving capacities.
However, when it comes to true primed-to-purpose security responses, we need to dig
deeper by asking questions which related to a more customised plan for each individual client.
Let’s look at the factors which need to come into play when planning an effective guard patrol security plan.
Location: What client environment are my security guard teams working in?
The T529 is manufactured to be portable, compact and robust so it is easy to carry,
manoeuvre and operate over both large and remote locations.
Connectivity: How stable and secure are my communications system?
The T529 is Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) based so it works off all cell
towers in the surrounding vicinity. Using Near Field Communication (NFC) points rather
then GPS, there is no concern needed regarding whether there will be GPS drift or not.
Quantifying Site Areas: What is the size and communications reach required?
Real time connectivity requires both mobility and real-time voice connectivity for effective
patrolling. The T529 Patrol Radio can facilitate up to 100 patrol point with no distance
limitation. This means that the security guard on patrol can remain connected at all times
while patrolling over large sites and industrial facilities and still communicate out to
anywhere in the world.
Risk and Response Reactivity: How will it protect my security guards/assets on site?
The T529 Patrol software is developed locally by Onguard’s development team where a lot
of thought has been given to providing safety features for the guard while patrolling on his
own.
Three key features include:
#1 An onboard panic button to communicate an SOS emergancy;
#2 Live GPS tracking at all times, so the back up security team knows where each
individual security patrollers is at any given moment.
#3 Should the security guard be hijacked whilst on patrol, and ordered to continue his
patrol while under duress, he can utilise the emergency backup of using a specified duress
point which when activated (without the hijackers knowledge), is able to signal an alert to
his team that he is no longer in control of his security patrol.
Key Performance Indicators: How does it support the security guard to do a better job?
Guard patrol duties are managed according to time and attendance touch points set up at
the site being patrolled and secured. Managed patrol routes are scheduled to set log in
point to regulate time management for both the guard’s efficiencies and the securing of
areas needing protecting. The T529 Patrol Radio ensures patrol routes are managed
according to the security plan protocols.
Night patrolling can be especially challenging to security personnel as our body naturally
responds to sleep patterns around nature’s cues of dusk and sunrise. Changing our
internal body clock’s can lead to drowsiness on duty. This is where the onboard Stay
Awake patrol alert system supports the guard in being alert and present at all times while on duty. Should a security event take place, the ability of the T529 to play back messages means
correct reporting and risk response can be verified and demonstrated.
Unique Features: What benefits does the T529 bring over other patrol radios?
The T529 is effective in reducing costs for security guard company owners as well as the
cost of the client’s site setup since patrols can communicate real time on one device, to
report incidences while patrolling. With the advantage of live tracking, the security
manager know where each guard is on site.
Reduced Costs: As a guarding company, how do I save costs but also improve our
effectiveness onsite for clients?
The T529 Patrol radio is available via a modular setup, this means you choose what
features you want and therefore what you are paying for; whether it is the full range of
features or just a selection over the T199’s Patrol module, PTT module, Tracking module,
together with the APN sim card (required).
Verified Successes: What do our customers say about Onguard’s products and services?
We asked the MD of Sentinal Guarding, Cecil Beukes for his thoughts:
“As the MD of Sentinel Guarding, we have been using the Onguard Patrol Systems for
more than 10 years. We depend on the reliability and value-added features they have
included over the years. When we contact their sales team for advice or the support team
regarding a new site rollout, nothing is too much trouble. Jamie Bell and his team are
always friendly and have a solution for us. And that, amongst price, which is very
competitive, is the main reason we have stayed with the Onguard brand over the years.”
Learn more about on demand technology for the security industry with a free demo
about Onguard’s patrol and visitor management systems now by calling Jamie Bell
on C: 0721238104 or E: info@onguard.co.za