Methods to Present an Authoritative Presence During an Emergency

During an emergency, people rely on security personnel to take charge of the scene and ensure peoples' safety. If you work as an officer for a security company, your training will prepare you for how to react in an emergency, whether it's something minor such as a fire drill or something major such as an active shooter in the area you patrol. While your training is certainly important, the situation will also benefit from your ability to be authoritative. This demeanor can help people remain calm, know that you're in control, and ensure that the situation ends as well as possible. Here are some tips to presenting an authoritative presence.

Know What You're Going To Say

From the moment you open your mouth to direct those around you, it's important that people feel confident in your leadership. It will be challenging to earn the trust of the public if you're unsure of your words. People will feel shaky if you use terms such as "um," "uh," and "maybe." It's better to take a brief moment to know exactly what you want to say, and then say it in a clear and confident voice. For example, you might confidently state, "Please run to the nearest emergency exit, which is two doors down on your right side."

Provide Eye Contact

Whether you're speaking to people individually or addressing a crowd, providing eye contact can help people feel that you're in charge of the situation. If you look at your shoes while you speak, for example, people may feel that you're uncertain of how to proceed and that you may even be uncertain of yourself. Conversely, you want to look people in the eyes and do so confidently. This projects a feeling of power and shows that you're an authority figure.

Rely On Your Training

The difference between someone who panics during an emergency and someone who deal with the situation in a calm, confident manner is often the difference between someone who doesn't rely on his or her training and someone who does. It's important for you to take each of your training sessions seriously and ask any questions that you may have along the way. The more you train with your peers, the more you'll feel confident when an emergency arises. For example, if you've trained for an active shooter in your building, you'll know exactly how to proceed if this emergency actually occurs.

For more information, contact a business such as MerCorp Protective Services.