Our guards are regularly mistaken for cyborgs!” Despite their best efforts, security officers are only human…

How is it October already?

It seems like only yesterday we were basking in the brief glimmers of summer. Yet, the recent flooding has served as a stark reminder that Autumn is most definitely here. And it’s not pulling any punches. Adverse weather is something we’re accustomed to at Advantage 1. And if the climate warnings are anything to go by, it will only get worse. Last year alone, 14 of our customers found themselves in need of emergency night cover due to flooding. Left with no power, heating or lighting, staff were sent home and stores were forced to close…

And so comes the call: “We need a guard urgently!”  Now, I’ll happily sing our guards’ praises all day long. They are committed, motivated and hard-working. But let’s be real – they’re not superhuman (as much as they might wish they were!). Security officers need to eat, drink, move and sleep like the rest of us. And, unless any of them have developed some secret night vision power I’m unaware of, they also need to see and a torch doesn’t last all night!

That might sound obvious, but I often have to delicately remind people of these facts. You’d be amazed by some of the things I’ve heard over the years… For example, once, I had a customer suggest, “Just let him sit in the car all night.” It was -5 degrees that day! I laugh when I think about it. We seem to live in a strange world where security guards are treated like some kind of cyborg that can just pop out of a box whenever they’re needed!

Either that or they can simply be dropped in by drone or helicopter at a moment’s notice… Don’t get me wrong, I can’t blame people for thinking that way. After all, somehow we always get the job done. It doesn’t matter if the weather’s gone bonkers, the roads are closed and public transport has ground to a halt. We have this unwavering commitment for getting our guards to where they need to be, no matter what. But it’s not without effort…

Our managers regularly step in to personally transport guards to their posts when the trains or buses give up. And when it snows (proper snow, not the feeble dusting that barely sticks to the pavement) we pull out all the stops. On one occasion, Scott, our Director of Operations, ventured out in his 4-wheel drive to retrieve three officers stranded in a snowstorm. But, alas, even Scott wasn’t immune to Mother Nature that day! Caught off-guard by the drifts (pun intended!), they found themselves pushing the vehicle up a steep, snow-covered hill. Fortunately, a local farmer came to their aid and towed them out with his tractor (not from Jeremy Clarkson’s Farm).

Despite all the drama, every one of those guards still made it to work that day.  It’s moments like these that remind me why we invest heavily in ensuring our officers are properly kitted out. When you’re facing freezing temperatures and howling winds, a good uniform isn’t a luxury – it’s essential. In Scotland, for instance, we provide guards with top-of-the-range traffic coats, waterproof trousers, boots, thermals and various types of gloves. We spare no expense. In fact, outfitting an officer in Scotland can cost three times as much as one down South, but it’s a price we’re happy to pay.

Because let’s face it – if a guard is freezing their socks off in a gatehouse with nothing but a flimsy coat for protection, they’re not going to perform at their best. Plus, if they don’t feel ‘seen’ or valued, motivation will also take a hit – and that’s in no one’s best interests. Sure, security guards might resemble some kind of futuristic cyborg, impervious to the elements and capable of superhuman feats. And who knows, maybe one day this will be a reality!

But until then, it’s worth remembering that beneath that high-vis jacket and woolly hat is a real person doing their best to keep the public and your property safe – whatever the British weather throws at them.