Preparation Is Your Best Defense Against Misfortune

An armed attack from a violent criminal or disturbed employee isn’t something anyone wishes for but wishing something wasn’t happening is worthless. Having a plan in place in case it does is proactive and will drastically increase your chances of escaping the situation unscathed.

As business security providers, we know a thing or two about protecting people from unwanted invasions. We’ve created a short 6-step process you should learn to prepare yourself in case this ever happens to you.

Step-by-Step Process

The following steps will go a long way to keeping both you and your employees safe from home invaders.

Step 1: Install a Security System

It’s the fasted way to contact the police and allows you to focus on protecting yourself and your staff. Every one of Millennium’s security system comes with an automatic distress call. The alarm informs our 24-hour monitoring team who will then alert the police that you’re in danger. The police response is immediate and tactical, arriving without sirens until they’re positioned to rescue you.

Step 2: Designate a Safe Room in Advance

Before you suffer an attack, you need to designate a safe room with your staff. Ideally, a panic room that’s located far away from any business entrance. This panic room doesn’t need to be designed for this purpose exclusively, but it should be easy to block entry to.

Step 3: Barricade the Door

Once your staff is all together in one room, immediately lock the door and barricade it. The most ideal barricade is something heavy that won’t tip over when pushed, like a desk with a low center of gravity. However, speed is of the essence, especially if the intruder is an ex-employee who knows where everyone will be. So in a pinch, the nearest piece of furniture to the door will do. Just ensure entry is as difficult as possible.

Step 4: Call the Police

If you installed a Millennium system, the police should already be on their way. However, it’s still a good idea to call 911 so you’ll have an ETA on their arrival. Stay on the line with the operator but keep the phone volume low. The intruders don’t have a floor plan of your office, so remaining undetected for as long as possible will help.

Step 5: Find a Weapon

If you have a firearm, now’s the time to grab it. But if not, don’t worry; you’re not defenseless. Any improvised weapon will do. Some examples of everyday items you can quickly turn into legitimate weapons are:

• Computer monitor
• Car keys between your knuckles
• Scissors
• Mugs or glassware
• Even a sharp-tipped pencil will do

Anything with a sharp point or blunt weight to it is better than your own hands, especially if the home invaders are armed with weapons of their own.

Step 6: Hide and Keep Low

Don’t try to confront the invaders unless they go through the effort of breaking through your barricade. Staying alive and keeping your staff safe should be your top priority, and that means staying out of danger for as long as possible.

You should also keep as low to the ground as you can. Hide your staff under the desk or just keep low to the ground to avoid any potential stray bullets should the worst come to pass and a gun is discharged. In that same vein of thinking, you should avoid pressing yourself up against your barricade. If the home invaders try to shoot through the door, a bookcase won’t stop a bullet from hitting you.

Step 7: Don’t Leave the Room Until the Police Arrive

Stay where you are until the police have arrived at your business and apprehended or chased off the criminals. Verify with the phone operator that the police are actually there. The reason being that you don’t actually know who’s on the other end of that door, and the last thing you want to do is be tricked by someone impersonating the police.

Business  Security Tools That Keep You Safe

The most important tool you have at your disposal is your mind, but there are additional security measures you can utilize to make yourself that much safer in case of an armed attack on your business. Remember, your security is vital; if you put off your security, you risk losing your property or even your life.

Alarm Systems

Businesses without any form of security are far more likely to be targeted. Alarm systems are some of the most important forms of security you can have. If invaders break into your business when everyone’s asleep, you can’t act to stop them or keep your staff safe.

The sound of an alarm is also more than enough to scare off most invaders before they can do any more damage. You should always opt for a loud alarm system.

Alarm Monitoring Service

Not all alarms come with a monitoring service, but you should absolutely consider purchasing one that does. Time is of the essence in any emergency situation, and while you should always call the police yourself, it helps to have someone at the ready to call them the moment your alarm is tripped. An alarm monitoring service could make a difference of minutes in a situation where seconds feel like hours.

Workplace Security Camera Installation

Installing surveillance cameras on the entrances to your business is a fantastic deterrent. The more signs of security your business has, the less likely burglars will even dare to rob you in the first place. Outdoor security cameras also help to keep you protected against less frightening but more annoying crimes like package robbery.

A workplace security camera installation will also greatly assist in apprehending the invaders should they initially escape the police. 51% of businesses that suffer a robbery will be targeted again within a month. If there’s a coin flip of a chance that the criminals will return, it’s best to increase the chances of them being caught the first time.

Keep Yourself Safe

There are additional systems you can purchase, like motion sensors and access control systems, but we feel a solid alarm, cameras, and an alarm monitoring service are a strong core to any commercial security system.

For additional information on the kinds of security measures you can take, please feel free to view our services or get into contact with us.

Millennium Fire & Security is always happy to assist!