SIA Guard Conflict Management & Emergency Response 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When faced with a fire in a premises they are guarding, what is the correct order of priorities for a security guard?
- Save property, save the guard's equipment, then alert occupants
- Sound the alarm / alert occupants, call the fire brigade (999), assist evacuation of the building, and only then (if safe to do so) attempt to fight the fire with appropriate equipment (Correct answer)
- Attempt to extinguish the fire first before alerting anyone
- Leave the building immediately and call the fire brigade from a safe distance
Correct answer: Sound the alarm / alert occupants, call the fire brigade (999), assist evacuation of the building, and only then (if safe to do so) attempt to fight the fire with appropriate equipment
The priority order in a fire is: people first — sound the alarm, call the fire brigade, and assist evacuation. Fighting the fire with an extinguisher is only appropriate once people are safe and the fire is in its very early stage. Never delay alerting people or the fire service.
Question 2: What does the acronym 'RACE' stand for in fire safety procedures used in some premises?
- Report, Assess, Control, Evacuate
- Rescue, Alert, Confine, Extinguish/Evacuate (Correct answer)
- React, Arm, Call, Escape
- Remove, Arrest, Control, Evacuate
Correct answer: Rescue, Alert, Confine, Extinguish/Evacuate
RACE is a fire response mnemonic used particularly in healthcare and some commercial settings: Rescue (anyone in immediate danger), Alert (sound alarm/call fire brigade), Confine (close doors and windows to contain the fire), Extinguish (with appropriate equipment if trained) or Evacuate.
Question 3: What is a 'muster point' (or assembly point) in the context of building evacuation?
- The main entrance used by visitors
- A pre-designated safe location away from the building where occupants must gather after evacuation, allowing head counts and confirmation that the building is clear (Correct answer)
- The security guard's designated post during an evacuation
- The location of the main fire suppression equipment
Correct answer: A pre-designated safe location away from the building where occupants must gather after evacuation, allowing head counts and confirmation that the building is clear
A muster point (assembly point) is a designated safe location, away from the building and clear of emergency service access routes, where occupants gather after evacuation. It allows the roll call or head count to confirm all persons have evacuated safely.
Question 4: What is the correct procedure when a security guard discovers an unattended bag that may be suspicious in a public area?
- Open the bag to check what is inside
- Do not touch or move the bag. Clear the immediate area, implement relevant emergency procedures, contact police, and if in a major public venue follow the organisation's 'HOT' assessment procedure (Correct answer)
- Move the bag to a secure room until police arrive
- Ask surrounding members of the public if the bag belongs to them, then leave it if no one claims it
Correct answer: Do not touch or move the bag. Clear the immediate area, implement relevant emergency procedures, contact police, and if in a major public venue follow the organisation's 'HOT' assessment procedure
An unattended suspicious bag should never be touched or moved. The area should be cleared, police called (999), and the organisation's counter-terrorism procedures followed. The 'HOT' assessment (Hidden, Obviously suspicious, Typical of the location?) helps assess whether to treat it as a threat, but the default is to treat unattended items as suspicious until confirmed otherwise.
Question 5: In first aid awareness, what does the 'ABC' primary survey stand for?
- Alert, Breathe, Circulate
- Airway, Breathing, Circulation (Correct answer)
- Assess, Bandage, Compress
- Approach, Bleed, Call
Correct answer: Airway, Breathing, Circulation
In first aid, the primary survey ABC stands for: Airway (ensure it is clear and open), Breathing (check for normal breathing), Circulation (check for signs of circulation/life and control severe bleeding). Modern protocols (notably for adult cardiac arrest) often use DR ABC (Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation).
Question 6: What is the recovery position used in first aid and when should it be applied?
- Lying a person flat on their back with legs elevated
- Placing an unconscious but breathing person on their side with their head tilted back to maintain an open airway and prevent choking on vomit or fluids (Correct answer)
- Sitting a person upright to assist their breathing
- Lying a person face down flat for spinal support
Correct answer: Placing an unconscious but breathing person on their side with their head tilted back to maintain an open airway and prevent choking on vomit or fluids
The recovery position places an unconscious, breathing person on their side with the head tilted back to keep the airway open and allow fluids to drain, preventing aspiration (inhaling vomit or blood). It is used when the person is breathing but unconscious and there is no suspected spinal injury.
SIA Guard Conflict Management & Emergency Response 2
When faced with a fire in a premises they are guarding, what is the correct order of priorities for a security guard?