SAIWA - Security Agents Institute of Western Australia Emergency and Incident Response Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: While on patrol, a security officer is first to discover a small, contained fire in a rubbish bin. According to the standard Australian fire safety procedure 'RACE', what is the MOST appropriate initial sequence of actions?
- Extinguish the fire immediately with the nearest extinguisher, then call the fire brigade.
- Rescue anyone in immediate danger, Alert by activating an alarm and calling 000, Confine the fire by closing doors, and then Evacuate or Extinguish if safe to do so. (Correct answer)
- Immediately evacuate the entire building and wait for emergency services to arrive.
- Contain the fire by closing doors to the area, then find a supervisor for further instructions.
Correct answer: Rescue anyone in immediate danger, Alert by activating an alarm and calling 000, Confine the fire by closing doors, and then Evacuate or Extinguish if safe to do so.
The correct sequence of actions follows the 'RACE' acronym, which is a standard fire safety protocol in Australia. The steps are: Rescue, Alert, Confine, and Evacuate/Extinguish. This procedure prioritises the safety of people first, ensures help is summoned promptly, contains the hazard to limit its spread, and then addresses evacuation or extinguishment of the fire if it is safe.
Question 2: A security officer finds a person collapsed and unresponsive in a public area. After ensuring there is no immediate danger, what is the next critical step according to the DRSABCD action plan?
- Check the person's pockets for identification.
- Attempt to sit the person up to help them breathe.
- Check for a response by talking to and touching the person. (Correct answer)
- Immediately begin chest compressions.
Correct answer: Check for a response by talking to and touching the person.
The DRSABCD action plan is the standard first aid response protocol in Australia. After checking for Danger (D), the next step is to check for a Response (R) by asking questions and squeezing their shoulders to see if they are conscious. Sending for help, checking the Airway, and checking for Breathing must be done before commencing CPR.
Question 3: A security control room operator receives a phoned-in bomb threat. Which of the following actions is MOST critical for the operator to perform during the call?
- Immediately hang up and activate the evacuation alarm.
- Attempt to keep the caller on the line for as long as possible to gather information. (Correct answer)
- Challenge the caller to determine if the threat is a hoax.
- Put the caller on hold to inform a supervisor immediately.
Correct answer: Attempt to keep the caller on the line for as long as possible to gather information.
Standard procedure for handling a telephoned bomb threat is to keep the caller talking as long as possible. This allows for the opportunity to gather crucial details about the threat (e.g., location, time), listen for background noises, and note the caller's characteristics, all of which are vital for law enforcement. A bomb threat checklist is often used to record this information systematically.
Question 4: Following a significant security incident, an officer must write a formal report. What is the primary purpose of this document?
- To provide a personal opinion on who was at fault for the incident.
- To satisfy the client that the situation was handled correctly.
- To create a subjective narrative for internal training purposes.
- To provide a factual, objective, and chronological record of events for potential legal and investigative use. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: To provide a factual, objective, and chronological record of events for potential legal and investigative use.
An incident report is an official document that must be a clear, concise, and objective record of the facts. Its primary purpose is to document exactly what happened for internal reviews, police investigations, and potential court proceedings. It must be free from personal opinions, assumptions, and blame.
Question 5: During a building evacuation, a security officer acting as a floor warden finds an employee who refuses to leave their desk. The officer's most appropriate action is to:
- Use reasonable force to physically remove the non-compliant employee.
- Stay with the employee and argue until they agree to leave.
- Firmly instruct the person to evacuate, note their refusal and location, and report it to the chief warden or emergency services while continuing their sweep. (Correct answer)
- Ignore the employee and move on, as they have made their own choice.
Correct answer: Firmly instruct the person to evacuate, note their refusal and location, and report it to the chief warden or emergency services while continuing their sweep.
A fire warden's duty is to clear their assigned area and ensure occupants evacuate. They should use clear, firm instructions. However, they should not engage in prolonged arguments or use physical force, which could be unlawful and dangerous. The correct procedure is to give the instruction, and if the person refuses, the warden must continue their duties and report the non-compliance and location of the person to the chief warden or arriving emergency services.
Question 6: On an external patrol of a commercial property, which of the following discoveries requires the most immediate and urgent response?
- A large patch of graffiti on a rear wall.
- An overflowing waste bin near the entrance.
- A perimeter fence that has been cut near a utility substation. (Correct answer)
- A vehicle parked in a non-designated area.
Correct answer: A perimeter fence that has been cut near a utility substation.
A cut fence near a utility substation presents multiple immediate and severe risks, including the potential for unauthorized access to a high-voltage area (danger to life), theft of critical infrastructure, and sabotage. This constitutes a critical incident requiring an immediate response to secure the area, report to management, and notify relevant authorities. The other options are routine security or maintenance issues that do not carry the same level of immediate danger.
SAIWA - Security Agents Institute of Western Australia Emergency and Incident Response Questions and Answers 1
While on patrol, a security officer is first to discover a small, contained fire in a rubbish bin.
According to the standard Australian fire safety procedure 'RACE', what is the MOST appropriate initial sequence of actions?