From public spaces to private properties, college campuses, and military bases, a custom-built guard booth is a critical asset when it comes to security. Your booth gives security the physical space they need to conduct their operations while providing protection and comfort to help them perform at their best.
But your guard booth is not the only tool that they need. There are some essential supplies and security personnel equipment that teams need in a post-9/11, 21st-century environment. Let’s run down a basic list to make sure your team is protected and prepared for the challenges of the job.
While it may not be considered security equipment for a security guard, light still tops the list of what is necessary to keep professionals safe and secure. A reliable source of light is an undeniable ally, especially for those working late hours or overnight shifts. These are the times when the ‘things that go bump in the night’ can be very real and dangerous threats. It is important to keep durable, high-powered flashlights on hand in your security booth – including backup batteries.
But a flashlight worn on a belt does not need to be your security team’s only source of light. A mounted spotlight on the exterior of your security booth can help guards identify people and other objects at night or during inclement weather. These lights, outfitted with powerful LED lighting, can also serve to blind potential attackers and give security teams a critical advantage in neutralizing a threat.
All guards should carry a cell phone – but because a signal is not always guaranteed and battery life may run out, a cell phone should not be the sole piece of security personnel equipment that they have access to or even the primary one.
Walkie-talkie radios are often more effective for communicating in short-range environments and should be on the list of security equipment for security guards. You should always keep several walkie-talkies available and fully charged.
Some situations may call for including hard-wired landlines in your guard booth to have a communication channel that is not dependent on battery power whatsoever. Similarly, internet and ethernet setups give security teams the ability to conduct research and gather any necessary information quickly.
When designing your security guard booth, you’ll want to ensure that it is pre-wired for easy installation upon delivery and that your security personnel equipment features state-of-the-art data and communications systems so that your team can stay in contact with one another or call for backup.
Your list of security equipment for security guards should always include two types of cameras. A handheld digital camera for photographs and a mounted smart security camera. The digital camera gives your security officers the ability to take photographs of scenes at the moment, making them much easier to describe. This aids in writing up reports with more accuracy, and can also be helpful if a team member is called into court to testify.
A mounted CCTV security camera is another piece to include on your security personnel equipment checklist. This offers an additional layer of protection for guards. Potential criminal activity may be thwarted simply due to the presence of a camera that is recording the property. Similarly, guards can identify visitors (or trespassers) from the safety of the guard booth.
Do not underestimate the importance of proper clothing when it comes to optimal security team performance. In colder climates, low temperatures can make patrols nearly impossible without the right apparel; in warm, dry climates, the temperature often drops dramatically overnight, which can catch security professionals off guard entirely (no pun intended). Make sure your security booth is designed to accommodate winter coats, rain ponchos, and heated vests.
Maintaining an inventory of security personnel equipment and supplies is important, but so is providing your team with the protection they need when facing the most extreme threats. And if you’re working in a particularly sensitive area, such as a military base, power plant, or secure government facility, an arsenal of weapons is a must to add to the list of security equipment for security guards you need.
A simple nightstick can be an effective deterrent when worn on an officer’s belt. But in the event of an attack, you may need to keep firearms in your security booth, including ammunition, space for lockers, and slide-open ports for returning fire.
In addition to weapons, you must take preventative action to protect your security team by ensuring that your booth includes blast and bullet-resistant materials. From doors and windows to flooring and ceiling, bullet and blast-resistant design features could be the difference between life and death.
Last, but certainly not least, your security personnel equipment list must include a robust first aid kit. This is important not only for the guards themselves but for anyone who may come to the security station with a minor injury seeking assistance. If someone is seriously injured, you can provide basic first aid while waiting for medical professionals to arrive.
A standard first aid kit for your security guard booth should, at the very least, include the following items:
Your security personnel equipment list is complete when you choose a customized security guard booth from B.I.G. Enterprises. We design and manufacture the world’s best prefabricated guard booths, built to meet your needs and satisfy your requirements for security equipment for security guards. No ask is too big, and no request is too outrageous; if you dream it, we’ll make it a reality.
Explore our gallery of security guard booths to find inspiration for your project, or reach out with an original concept of your own. Our team will work with you to finalize the blueprints and ensure we address every detail. Contact us at (888) 669-1449 or message us online today for a free estimate.