Emergency Response and Incident Management
Preparedness
Effective emergency response starts before the emergency. Know the site's emergency plan, evacuation routes, assembly points, fire equipment locations, first-aid arrangements, and contact numbers.
Key concepts
- Priority order: life safety first, then property, then the environment.
- Evacuation: clear, calm direction to the assembly point; account for people; do not allow re-entry until authorised.
- Fire: raise the alarm, call the fire service, evacuate, and only attempt to fight a small fire if trained and safe to do so.
- Medical emergencies: call for help, provide first aid within your training, and do not move an injured person unless there is immediate danger.
- Incident management: secure the scene, preserve evidence, record details, and hand over to the relevant authority.
- Bomb threats and suspicious objects: do not touch; isolate the area and call the police.
Traps in questions
Common wrong answers include re-entering a building to retrieve belongings, moving an injured person unnecessarily, or "handling" a suspicious package. Another trap is a guard who becomes a hero instead of following the plan and calling for help.
Rule of thumb
Protect life, raise the alarm, follow the plan, preserve the scene.
Worked example
A small fire starts in a waste bin. Correct sequence: raise the alarm, evacuate people if necessary, call the fire service, and only if trained and the fire is small and not spreading, use the correct extinguisher with a clear escape route behind you. Never turn your back on a fire.