Training for the 1%

Life is full of calculated risk…

We take risks driving our cars, climbing a ladder or even picking up something heavy from the floor (one for the over 40s there!). At the moment, unless you are isolating indoors for the foreseeable, many of us risk catching Covid-19 from a visit to the supermarket or catching a bus.

The word ‘calculated’ is important here. We adjust our behaviour according to the perceived risk, taking care to reduce the possibility of harm, e.g. by wearing a mask or washing our hands. For some risks, we go about our lives without even thinking about them, e.g. 30-60 people in Britain are struck by lightning each year, although personally I do avoid sheltering under a tree in a rainstorm.

All Cledor staff undergo appropriate training for their role, covering the more routine activities in their place of work such as fire awareness, asbestos awareness, manual handling, COSHH, DSE, and more recently coronavirus training.

We also cover the 1%. Let me elaborate.

The 1%…

One percent is an arbitrary number for what I am about to describe. I am talking about low risk occurrences but those with a high severity factor. In other words, it may never happen but if it does, then the consequences are likely to be severe.

If my own training over the years – in both France and the UK – has taught me anything, it’s that you should be prepared for any eventuality, sometimes physically as well as mentally. That mindset has stood me in good stead, in some potentially life-threatening situations, and that’s why our ‘1% staff training’ is so important. Here are a few scenarios. They set the scene and will make you think. They don’t give you the answers. Ask yourself: What would you do?

Fire

You may only deal with one serious fire in your career as a property manager or maybe (hopefully) none, but on-site staff preparedness is essential.

Take this scenario:

A resident is trapped inside his 17th storey apartment. It’s on fire and it’s the middle of the night. The apartments are connected to the communal fire alarm system and the panel is showing a potential fire in apartment 1703. The night concierge is at the front desk and sees the panel light up. He receives a call from the apartment to say the flat is on fire and he can’t get near to front door to get out. What does the night concierge do? What should he do? What SHOULDN’T he do?

Noise

Another night-time scenario. A noise complaint is delivered to the front desk by a resident in a dressing gown. It’s 11pm. She reports raised voices, an argument, a woman’s voice and a man’s. She says this isn’t the first time.

What should the security guard do? Is this ‘just’ an argument? This is a private dispute in a private apartment, so should the member of staff interfere? Is there an ongoing noise or domestic violence issue with this apartment? Has someone been assaulted? Could it escalate? Should the police be called?

Bomb threat

A phone call is made to reception and the weekend concierge answers.

It’s Sunday, 10am.

The caller explains there is a bomb in the building, that it will detonate in 10 minutes, and the concierge needs to get everyone out. The concierge is a lone worker, there are 400 apartments.

What should he do aside from calling the police? Is there enough time to evacuate everyone? How would he communicate with everyone? Could a panic cause more harm than good? Should he try to find the bomb? What if it’s a hoax?

Potential death on the premises

Someone not known to the long-term concierge approaches the front desk from the street, claiming to be the brother of a resident living in the building. He explains his sister is not answering her phone and no one has heard from her for a week. He explains that while he knows how to get to his sister’s flat on the 8th floor, he cannot recall her flat number. He is agitated and saying he is very concerned for her health.

What should the concierge do? Is the brother listed on the concierge software as having the right to access the flat? If not, should he allow him access? Should he go alone to the flat and leave the brother at reception? What if the apartment is opened and the resident is unconscious? What if there are signs of a struggle, or anything else untoward, which would make it a crime scene? What if he refuses to leave his post and faces aggression from the brother?

Terror attack

The evening concierge is on her own, walking the ground floor of a 150-unit apartment building. It’s Friday evening, 7pm and residents are typically arriving from work or on the way out.

The police officer says don’t let anyone in or out and lock the doors.

What does the concierge do now? How does she go about locking down the whole building? Should she turn residents away that she recognises? How should she be communicating what is happening to all residents? Should she be saying anything at all to them? Is it a real police officer? How can she verify what she was being told?

Missing person

Mr Roberts is a director of the RMC and long-term resident. He works for British intelligence services and the concierge is aware of his status as someone important who works for the government. He calls the front desk and asks the concierge if he’s seen his wife go passed reception. (He hasn’t seen her). He says he is gravely worried for her safety and hinting she may have been kidnapped. He demands that the concierge shows him the CCTV footage for the building for last three hours. Now.

Should the concierge comply and sit Mr Roberts in front of his monitor with access to the CCTV cameras? Could his helpful action help Mr Roberts find his wife? Does Mr Roberts’ wife want to be found? Should the concierge call his property manager? Or consult another RMC director? Should he call the police, or invite Mr Roberts to call the police?

Be prepared

As more and more residential schemes are developed, the greater the chance yours or your colleagues’ site staff will be faced with an emergency where decisive action may be of critical importance.

Common sense will guide many of us in such a situation however specific training for these and other scenarios may save the day. Oftentimes, there will be no single right way of tackling such as situation but there are many wrong ways.

Property managers are often judged by how well they cope in a crisis, how well they manage those 1% events. You also have a duty to ensure the site staff – who are your front of house representatives – are equipped to deal the greatest challenges as they are unfolding, and just as importantly, how to cope in the aftermath from a mental health perspective. Standard training does not cut the mustard.

Nick Regnier

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Cledor’s in-house Academy trains its own staff and those employed by the managing agent or freeholder to the highest standards, whatever the scenario. To find out more or even to discuss any fo the scenarios introduced above, please do contact us.