Having a lone worker safety and communications plan outline in place is critical for any agency that has staff in the field.  This includes those that work from home part or full time.

Your office based employees may have the benefit of a secure facility. Your lone workers face a completely different set of personal safety and security issue.

I’ve invited Kevin Dogen, Executive Director of SafeTeam, a technology leader in this space, to a write a guest Blog that illustrates the importance of including an Emergency Notification System in any Safety and Communications plan you devise.

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A lone worker in the field (we’ll call him Jim) is confronted with a situation that compromises his safety.  He’s in a difficult spot and doesn’t have time to call for help.  Since his company’s safety procedures are based on human communication, his supervisors have no idea he’s in trouble and won’t for some time… while Jim’s need for help is immediate.

With an Emergency Notification System in place to alert Jim’s supervisors, his lone worker safety  scenario is quite different:

It starts at 9:00 AM with Jim “Checking In” to the system via cell phone upon arrival at his destination.  It’s a 2 hour visit.  The system prompts him to provide details on where he is, what client he’s visiting, and the color and make of his vehicle.  Once completed, it stands by for him to call no later than 11:00 AM to “Check-Out”.

When 11:00 AM comes and he hasn’t “Checked-out”, the system calls his cell phone but he doesn’t pick up.  The system waits 5 minutes and calls again. Again he doesn’t answer.  This raises a potential red flag where the system triggers as escalation procedure by contacting 3 designated contacts.

They’re able to listen to Jim’s Check-In call so they know his location.  One of the designated contacts places a call to the client.  They don’t answer.  He next calls the police, providing the address.  In an instant, the response time has been dramatically reduced in what might be a serious situation.

While the odds of this happening are slim, you need only do a quick Google search to see how often it does occur.  The question then is whether to presume that it won’t happen to your people or be pro-actively cautious by including an ENS into your Safety and Communication Plans.

In some ways, it’s like an insurance policy and without it, not only are your employees exposed, your company is as well, based on the financial implications that come into play.  The National Center for Victims of Crime notes that the average cost for a single episode of violence in the workplace is $250,000 in lost time, medical expenses & legal costs.

Having an ENS in place not only reduces your company’s legal exposure, it also sends a strong message to your field workers that their safety is your primary concern.

In the end it’s a numbers game.  You can consider that because you’ve never had an incident in the field, the probability is too small to be concerned.   On the flipside, you might count your blessings, recognize that the risk is ever-present and take your Safety and Communication Plans to the next level.

To see Safe Team’s Emergency Notification System in action click here

Kevin’s Contact information appears below

Kevin Dogen

Executive Director

SafeTeam

650-560-9934

kevin@safetyinthefield.com

Related:

Lone Worker Personal Safety Training

 Social Worker Personal Safety Training (6 Hours NASW Continuing Education Units)

She states her daughter was riding in an elevator with her on the way to their room on the 5^th floor of their hotel.  An ordinary-looking young man entered the elevator when it stopped on the second floor. The elevator doors opened again on the third floor at which time a young women boarded.

The executive said she got a bad vibe from the young man and woman but was not able to pinpoint why.  Her gut-feeling that something was amiss was intensified when she noticed these apparent strangers make very brief eye contact, as if communicating with one another.

The doors opened on the 5^th floor; the young man and woman exited before the executive and her daughter. The young man went left and the young woman right, again looking as if they were not together.

The executive pulled her daughter back into the elevator just as the doors began to close. Her daughter looked confused by her mother’s actions until she explained.  The young man and woman were working as a team but entered the elevator on separate floors to camouflage this fact. The executive’s daughter was looking down at her Smartphone during the elevator ride and missed the subtle cues her mother noticed:  the incongruent body language, darting eyes and very brief eye contact.

Because her mother was paying attention, she connected the dots and understood these pre-crime indicators for what they were. This information led her to understand that the man and woman going in opposite directions upon exiting the elevator were not as they appeared.  On the surface, it looked like two people that did not know one another, but, in fact, it was two people setting up to position and trap the executive and her daughter in the quiet hallway.

Law enforcement reminds us that criminals are working more frequently as male/female teams, often to look like couples. This is because so many of us assume females are less inclined to engage in crime, especially violent crime and because a couple will draw less attention from law enforcement than a pair or group of young males.

Human beings are the most cunning predators of all.  Remember to “think outside the box” Not every situation is what it appears to be. An observant person will be able to pick up on subtle cues that something is amiss. Those that are not paying attention miss those critical moments in which a ruse may be seen for what it is and too often become victims of an avoidable crime.

Given the continued frustration over this, I thought I would re-post below. Thanks.

Jeff Cooper was a Marine Lieutenant Colonel who developed a color coding system, each descriptive of a person’s state of awareness of their surroundings and mental preparedness.

Condition White-

This is a person that is oblivious of their surroundings. In this condition, the first time a person realized they are in trouble is when it’s too late. They “never saw it coming” since they were not paying attention. Petty thieves and predators alike are very good at identifying those who are in Condition White since they make much easier or “softer” targets. Being preoccupied, day dreaming, text messaging while walking in public, walking head down and never looking around are all sure signs of Condition White!!

Condition Yellow-

Tom Givens a weapons expert and trainer describes Condition Yellow about as well as I have ever heard it articulated

“This is a relaxed state of general alertness, with no specific focal point. You are not looking for anything or anyone in particular; you simply have your head up and your eyes open. You are alert and aware of your surroundings. You are difficult to surprise, therefore, you are difficult to harm. You do not expect to be attacked today. You simply recognize the possibility.”

Below is another succinct description of Condition Yellow

“In Yellow, you are “taking in” surrounding information in a relaxed but alert manner, like a continuous 360 degree radar sweep.”

Condition Orange-

Here you are in a heightened state of awareness and very focused on a potential threat or a situation that you feel could become more serious. You are not in “fight of flight” mode yet, but ready to shift gears to “fight or flight” also known as Condition Red, if need be.

You will remain in Condition Orange until you are satisfied that the potential threat no longer exists, has been adequately dealt with or you have removed yourself form the situation.

You may well feel anything from a mild to moderate “adrenaline dump” which will elevate heart rate and blood pressure, dilate your pupils and shunt oxygen and energy rich blood to you skeletal muscles prepping them for action if need be.

Law enforcement specialists and military trained personal may not experience any physiologic reaction due to their training and how many times they have been in a Condition Orange situation.

Condition Red-

Here you are in “fight or flight” mode and you are ready to do either. The potential threat is now very real and needs to be dealt with. In this state we will experience a full “adrenaline dump” which will dramatically enhance blood flow to large skeletal muscle groups and sharpen our special senses.

This is the situation we do not want to find ourselves in.

This is the situation we can avoid by maintaining our Condition Yellow!!!!

Condition Yellow is Not Paranoia

If you are one of those people who “instinctively” pays attention to your surroundings, know what’s going on behind you at all times and in general take inventory of who is around you and what they are up to, you are gifted with being able to “live in Condition Yellow”

You might have developed your Condition Yellow out of need. Perhaps you grew up in a threatening environment. One of your parents might have been in law enforcement or the military, or perhaps you just “have it” period? Either way you do so with such ease the process is almost subconscious. You read peoples body language and your “gut” tells you what situations to avoid.

You might live with or know someone who lives in Condition White who actually accuses you of being paranoid!!

You are not paranoid. You are merely following your instinctive drive to remain alert. You are the person who also runs “what if” scenarios through your mind. You engage in what safety experts call “pre- incident visualization”

You understand that having a strategy tucked away in your data bank will allow you to react if a situation did arise, knowing that there would be no time right then and there to come up with a solution. The thinking must have already been done and warehoused in your mind for instant retrieval.

Your Condition Yellow is such an asset that I encourage you to share your mindset with friends and loved ones.

Randy LaHaie, safety training expert and SWAT specialist says it best. He states that if we work on becoming more aware of our surroundings, it soon becomes “part of our essence”

Visit Randy’s site for great reading on many safety topics at: http://www.protectivestrategies.com

And remember, awareness of our surroundings is our first and best line of defense!!!

Larry Kaminer

Looks can be deceiving….

This story came across my desk some time ago.

A woman returning to her vehicle in a busy shopping mall parking lot during daylight hours discovered she had a flat tire.  She stated that while struggling to change the tire, a clean-cut, handsome man, in a sharp business suit, walked by and offered to help.  She gratefully accepted! He proceeded to put down his briefcase and change the tire.

At about the same time this Good Samaritan was finishing up his task, the woman, (while looking for something in the front seat),  happened to notice – out of the corner of her eye – that the man tossed his briefcase into the trunk along with the damaged tire!

A moment later, looking somewhat confused, the man stated he had just realized that he was turned around and had not left the mall via the exit closest to his car.  Would she mind giving him a quick ride to his vehicle?

Thinking on her feet, she said that she would be happy to, but inadvertently had left her wallet at the make-up counter and just needed to dash inside to get it and come back to give him a ride.  He thanked her and said he would just wait at the car.

When she returned with a security guard, the man was gone.  She unlocked the trunk and inside his expensive briefcase they found duct tape, rope and a knife, the tools of a rapist.

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We will never know if that quick glance over her shoulder was instinctive or just lucky. Either way, once she understood what was happening, she cleverly extricated herself from the situation.

Absent that glance, she was clearly operating under the assumption that this well-dressed, handsome man (offering a helping hand in broad daylight, in a busy parking lot) could not possibly intend her any harm.  Based on appearances exclusively, she did not categorize him as evil and he was able to bypass any precautionary mental filters she may have had in place.

Human beings are the most cunning of all predators.  This story is not meant to scare, but to remind us to keep our radar up and “think outside the box” even in seemingly benign and harmless situations. Remember, you can remain comfortable and relaxed while maintaining an elevated state of awareness of your surrounding. This is often referred to as “Condition Yellow”.

Be safe!

Larry Kaminer

Notice the difference in our prospective victim’s ability to react to an attack as she walks from her car in an apartment parking lot.  Some elements to keep in mind!!!

I was reminded again just yesterday while delivering training for an insurance company as to why sharing your schedule and having check in times with your office is so important if you work in the field.

While covering this topic in the module relevant to product representatives, claims adjusters, social services professionals, pharmaceutical detailers and those in the real estate vertical, a woman in the class shared a story that reinforced the concept and made for an excellent teaching moment

This claims adjuster said she was on her way back to her car subsequent to evaluating the water damage at an insured’s home. She was confronted by a very aggressive and unstable person who was closing in on her and acting more and more unpredictably. She immediately called a co worker at the office whose cell phone number she had programmed into her speed dialer

This woman was very level headed and managed to explain her situation to her office contact but more importantly she was able to let him know exactly where she was. Her situation degenerated to the point that she needs to end the call to bring both hands to bear to fend off a potential attack.

Being that the perpetrator had intentionally positioned and trapped her between a wall and other structures she was unable to run and had to instead keep the situation under relative control by remaining calm and collected and talking to this person to buy time

In the meantime her co worker had called the police and let them know of her situation and more importantly, exactly where she was. In a very short period of time the police were on scene and ended what had been very dangerous encounter.

This woman’s account just goes to reinforce the importance of always maintaining a primary and secondary office contact both of whom’s cell phone numbers need to be in the field agents speed dialer. If your designated contact knows where you are and you cannot muster the resources of law enforcement at least they can do so for you.

This is just one of many strategies we cover during our corporate safety classes. The importance of having an office contact and check in times is also very important for those in your work forces that telecommute or work from home.

Listen to a 30 minute blog radio show on safety tips for those who work from home and make sales calls.

The FBI reports that GPS theft from vehicles shot up 700% between 2006 and 2007

Theft Prevention:

• Use the suction-cup windshield mount instead of the permanent base that adheres to the glass or dash which lets everyone know you have a GPS. A friction mount is also an option.(Looks like a bean bag that sits on the dash without sliding around)
• Remember to remove the mounting bracket from the windshield when you are not in the car. Not just the device from the bracket.
• Remember to wipe off the smudge the suction-cup leaves on the glass! This is a tell tale sign there might be one hidden in the car.
• New devices are small enough to put in a pocket or bag so bring it with you and leave the mounting bracket out of site. The same goes for the cigarette lighter power cable.

Your Personal Safety:

Most importantly, use the password feature to lock the device so as to deny access to your home address and any others in your “favorites” list. The last thing you need is the person who broke into your car showing up at your house….with out even having to bother with MapQuest!!

Reference: Autoblog.com

This account contains the four simple elements upon which we construct what we refer to as the “Safety Mindset”

1. Knowledge of crime as a process
2. Awareness of our surroundings
3. Obeying instincts
4. And always having a sound strategy in place

Let us refer to her as Ashley:

Ashley told me that she went out with a friend of hers to a restaurant on a weekend night. She said that she traveled to the restaurant in the same vehicle as her friend so as to adhere to the Buddy System (Strategy)

Upon returning to their vehicle after dinner, they noticed a panel van parked very close to Ashley’s drivers side door in the quiet dark parking lot.

Having knowledge of the relevance of a panel van, and obeying their instincts as to the how uneasy they felt with this situation, they went back into the restaurant and resorted to their strategy, which was to ask a waiter to accompany them back to their vehicle, which a waiter indeed did.

Upon the treos return to the parking lot, the panel vans engine suddenly roared to life and “peeled out” tires squealing as it exited the quiet parking lot!!!!

Ashley said to me that prior to the initial training she attended at her school she would have:

- Not understood the relevance of a panel van. (Many people are abducted by predators in panel vans due to how quickly they can slide the door open, grab someone, close the door and leave!!)

- Probably met her friend at the restaurant instead of traveling together as a Buddy Team

-Not registered the potential danger of the van’s presence and therefore might not have had any instinctive sense that something was amiss?

- And certainly would have not gone back to the restaurant to get help.

As I always say, it’s all the little things we do, or fail to do, that add up to an event or quite simply, an non event

Knowledge, Awareness, Instincts and Strategy = a very simple but powerful safety formula!!!

Stay safe

Larry Kaminer

We discussed the importance of taking a quick look into the back seat area of your vehicle before getting in.

I encourage people to carry a small flashlight with them, especially during the winter months, in order to check the back seat and interior more readily in poor lighting conditions.

A woman put up her hand and commented that she always chooses a vehicle, her own or a rental car, that has a very light color interior this not allowing someone dressed in dark clothing the opportunity to blend in as easily.

An excellent tip!!!

Do you remember to take a quick peek under your vehicle too when you are about thirty feet from it?

Larry