Private security personnel assigned at Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan Pueblo Campus successfully completed the “Basic Skills for Responders (BSR)” Training conducted through the Safety, Security and Information Office, in partnership with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Station 4 – Carmen.

The training was participated in by newly deployed and currently assigned security personnel of Envisage Security Agency Inc (ESAI) at Pueblo Campus, the agency responsible for campus access control and first-line emergency response operations.

According to XU Chief Security Officer Mr Romulo C Hojas, security guards are often the first people on the scene during emergencies in schools, offices, churches, and residential communities. For this reason, they must be equipped with basic emergency response skills similar to those taught by the BFP.

The activity aimed to:

• Equip participants with basic emergency response knowledge and skills
• Promote fire prevention and safety awareness
• Familiarize personnel with firefighting equipment and techniques
• Instill discipline, confidence, and presence of mind during emergencies
• Strengthen public confidence by ensuring that security personnel can respond effectively during emergencies

Security guards are strategically positioned 24/7, familiar with building layouts, entrances, exits, and emergency procedures. In many situations, they become the natural extension of emergency response teams until professional responders arrive.

The training included:

• Basic emergency response procedures
• Fire safety awareness and prevention
• Proper handling and operation of portable fire extinguishers
• Initial response during fire and emergency incidents
• Proper handling of fire hoses and nozzles
• Roles and responsibilities of security personnel during emergencies
• Donning of firefighting suits and firefighting apparatus

Resource speakers from the Bureau of Fire Protection Station 4 – Carmen provided practical demonstrations and hands-on exercises to strengthen the participants’ understanding of emergency response operations.

“Security guards should not replace professional firefighters or rescuers, but they can serve as force multipliers and first-line emergency responders until specialized responders arrive.” As observed or noted by the XU Safety Officer Mr Apollo M Bacas

This is the real value and importance of BFP-type responder training for security personnel.