A security escort is meant to protect and guard certain visitors to their required places etc. many of their other responsibilities in short are, screening visitors in case they are carrying unwanted or irrelevant things along, analyzing situations, keeping records of events, scan IDs, or badges and take responsibility of identifying unusual details in an area.
They have more or so the same roles as that of other security services but in addition, they act as a backbone to some individuals e.g. important figures, visitors and travel with them when needed to. So in short, one of their very primary responsibility is to keep visitors safe and protect from any situations that may be dangerous for them and second of all, they work day and nights without taking days off unless necessary to travel along with people who need supervision at all times e.g. public figures.
They are also important to protect valuable assets while they escort visitors to their facilities and are able to operate different kinds of transport vehicles.
What security escort do and how
- Plan and Schedule
The security escorts are so good at their job, they plan and schedule accordingly and carefully to avoid areas if they are targets of an attack yet to occur. They also do their homework and see when is the right time to escort someone they need to and avoid overcrowded or risky places. In case of this situation, they get in contact with law enforcement to acquire information about which could be the safest route.
They make sure they:
- Run a background check on the owner or client
- Identify the risk that could come with carrying out an operation
- Know what modes of transportation they will avail
- Areas where they will fulfill their responsibility
- Know who to call to take over their responsibility if required
- Security organization
It is understood, the job security escorts have is very demanding and requires a lot of accuracy and strength. For them to carry out their jobs, these escorts need licenses to make their job easier for them, they need weapons for defense and certain tasks to be assigned to them so that they have a clear view of what they have to do.
The security organization fulfills all of these requirements for them and puts forward rules and policies in front of them so they know what they have to do and train themselves accordingly.
- Evaluate if they need to be armed/unarmed
Security escorts have to take some time to identify a situation and if they need to be armed or unarmed in case of a security threat. For example, if a threat seems is serious, they will have to be armed to combat.
The teams of security escorts, armed or unarmed are made up of former soldiers, military officials, and law enforcement officers who have lots of experience in defense.
- Be responsive in cases of emergency
Security escort teams have made up plans which are so efficient to use when they have to deal with threats. They need to be responsive enough when there is a contingency and know how to act accordingly.
The best response plan has actions and plans listed out in case of contingencies. A security escort is required to identify threats and visualize if they expect a successful response to a threat.
Mostly, these emergency plans have information regarding relevant alternatives the personnel can avail if they end up in serious and violent situations that are no longer in their control alone, for example, reporting to the police or law enforcement for assistance.
- Access control procedures
Security facilities have valuable property stored within which means only limited and relevant people can access those facilities. Therefore, all security escort personnel are given IDs and badges with numbers in them so that these officials can be easily identified and are easily able to access close facilities.
- Escort by ground
As mentioned before and how security escorts are required to carefully plan all the safest routes to escort certain people who cannot be left unsupervised, they plan a detailed route from which transportation to avail, which routes to travel from, which stops to avail in case of refueling to any rest stops to stop by.
They usually avail the options of a highway as they are more spacious and any possible threats or risks are easily noticeable.
While certain individuals take breaks at a stop along the route, the security escorts have to subtly move to strategic areas so they can be able to stop any unwanted activity from happening.
- Escort by air
Escorts don’t only happen on the ground, security personnel is also hired if an important figure is traveling by air. Like on the ground, air travel also requires a detailed route plan for safety. The flight personnel is the third party.
This detailed plan will also involve more or so the same information, an effective timeline, and all safe locations. And the flight attendants are supposed to follow the instructions of the personnel and the route they plan for them. The plan is for them to have a clear understanding and overview of where they are going.
The logistics officials on the ground are required to make arrangements on the arrival after making sure the arrival is either domestic or international.
It is important to note that since international travel means the arrival could be from any country around the globe, the risk could be higher and so the security must be higher and contingency plans should be even more effective.
How to get a job as a security escort
The requirements of a security escort vary from company to company, however, basic qualifications are physical fitness, enough experience in defense, security, military, or law enforcement. Since the job is very demanding, an individual must be responsive, vigilant, and quick. They should be calculated, have strength, excellent vision, and a good sense of smell.
They should be very efficient, be organized, and know the importance and relevance of the job they want to get themselves into.
A passport is not required for this particular job as the job is limited to escorts who can help and protect areas and should be able to know the difference in traveling security guards jobs.
To be able to rightfully fulfill the responsibilities of this role, you should be flexible enough, have interpersonal skills, have full ability to register and remember complicated rules and guidelines of security and be very deliberate for longer periods while doing the job of escorting individuals e.g. public figures, visitors, guests, etc. For more information visit DIRECT GUARD SERVICE.