Disaster in the Making

ghostguy6

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The following quote is from an email I just received about a security job I was going to work on Halloween night.

Security staff: The required uniform for the evenings events are as follows:
  1. Indoor staff: Black cargo pants, black polished shoes, standard black "security" shirts, your personal headset for the radios.
  2. Outdoor staff: Black cargo pants, black polished shoes (snow boots can be worn if weather is cold), standard black "security" shirts to be worn under your jackets, your personal headset for the radios. Traffic control vests will be provided however we have a limited stock so please bring one if you have one. Gloves, hat and extra socks reccommened.
  3. Supervisory staff: Black cargo pants, black polished shoes, standard black "security" shirts, your personal headset for the radios. Lime green "security" jackets with reflective striping are required as you will patrolling inside and outside. Amber strobe lights are required for those driving security vehicles. If you do not have a stobe light I have a few I can lend out. Call me if you need one.
*NOTE* No members of the security staff are to be in possession of a flashlight. Flashlights are now being seeing as weapons in the public eye. Management at the facility has deamed there to be enough ambiant light that flashlights will not be required.

The job is night time parking control, medical and indoor security for a haunted house and dance. I can guarentee that flashlights will be required for this job. Everyone working in the parking lot will be required to use a flashlight with a traffic wand. The staff inside will also need lights to see what they are doing in the event that something happens inside. This is a disaster waiting to happen. I have emailed the event coordinator to voice my concerns and am still waiting for a reply.

Guarenteed if I do deside to work this event I will be carrying many concealed lights despite what management thinks.
 

csshih

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flashlights, weapons?
that is ridiculous. absolutely! conceal carry a flashlight on you
 

loszabo

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Could it be that the "management" is afraid of those long, baton-like MagLites?

I guess a small CR123 lights will not be considered a "weapon" to the pulic? :candle:
 

DaFABRICATA

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I want to punch people who think like this right in the throat:mad:

Next they'll be saying no silverware at dinner and everyone has to eat with their hands.:thumbsdow

I want NOTHING to do with people with this type of mindset.:scowl:

Let them fend for themselves when the SHTF.

I almost (not really) wish something bad would happen so they get sued due to the fact the staff was ill-prepared for an emergency.
Just about anything can be used as a weapon....stomping on someones head with work boots would do far more damage....Show up naked so you can avoid any problems..:sigh:...oh wait, you might poke someones eye out with you p*n*s:ohgeez::duh2:


Ok, I'm done ranting...FOOLS!
 

Hooked on Fenix

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Single cell AA, AAA, or 123A lights without strike bezels are too small to be used as a weapon. If they fire you over carrying one, you could probably sue and win. I don't think any judge would agree that such a small light could be used to beat someone to death. I say take the risk and use flashlights, but bring small enough ones to conceal that are too small to be viewed as a weapon.
 

JeffInChi

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I'm guessing that security guards in the past have hit people with one of those big ol mag lights (4D or 6D) and the club is trying to prevent the any liability issues with an overzealous security guard. No one wants to get sued, and unfortunately, that always means going too far.

Just look at some of the public schools and their "zero tolerance" rules (tylenol is a drug, swiss army knife is a weapon), and you'll see that they lack common sense in most cases (expelling/suspending good kids).

This just shows apathy/laziness on the club owner/manager's part of not realizing flashlights will be needed, but failing to specifiy a size/weight requirement if they desire one for some odd reason.

Good luck with the job, make sure you get paid.
 
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ghostguy6

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As far as I know there have been no issues with flashlights being used as clubs in the past. This event is more or less a vlounteer thing eventhough everyone working security has training. Im still waiting for a reply from the event coordinator but here are a few replies from the guys I will be working with.(edited for content and privacy of course)

Whats this no flashlight bull****? No way im walking around that place in the ****ing dark all night its my *** on the line not " john doe's"!

No flashlights!! WTF? What am I suposed to do, hold a candle while I'm on the road? It's not safe for us to be out there without any lights. I'm fairly sure the law requires us to have traffic wands after dark.

Hey "John Doe",
Im getting lots of replies about us not being able to use flashlights on this job. Im thinking if "John Doe" wants to enforce this policy our guys are going to back out of this job. If we cant see we cant do our jobs right?

Anyways I sent "John Doe" an email about it so Ill let you know if he gets back to me. Ive got an uneasy feeling about this job now....
 
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Patriot

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If I respond to the red lettering I could fall into one of my philosophical blathering's about basic freedoms. Besides, DaFab pretty much echoed my thoughts. :cool:

In short, screw 'em.
 

xenonk

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Flashlights aside, it seems counterproductive to make your security as meek as you possibly can.
 

Ken_McE

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Show up with a little one-candle lantern. If they say anything, tell them it's for Halloween. Or maybe bring enough for every guard. If you want the money, you should shut up now.
 
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Greta

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What concerns me even more is that a "professional" security company sends out an email with such poor grammar and spelling. Don't they have Word for spell and grammar check? Seems to me that should be your first clue as to the kind of "professional" company you are working for.. and the rest is just validation... :ironic:
 

Crenshaw

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the "public" will jump at the small blade of a SAK.

Sure, flashlights can be a weapon, but what part of security carrying a weapon makes no sense?

Crenshaw
 

KD5XB

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GhostGuy6, you need to be UNAVAILABLE for this job, it's too risky of your job and profession. If you need a flashlight and don't have one, you're unprepared for your job. If you carry a flashlight and it's prohibited, you're in violation of regulations. You need to seriously be UNAVAILABLE.
 

Stress_Test

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"Flashlights are now being seeing as weapons in the public eye."


Uhhh, Really?? Are we talking about the U.S. or another country, because I haven't heard anything about people now regarding flashlights as "weapons".

'course, I don't have cable TV so I miss out on a lot of the bleating on the news. :tinfoil:
 

Roger Sully

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I have been told by the security guard at the building where I work that the 4D maglite is the "standard" for security since it can be used as a defensive weapon.....
That being said, if I was in your position, a small single 123 light would be in my pocket regardless... just my 2 lumens
 

lightplay22

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I have recently found out that small flashlights can be dangerous!!




But only to your bank account. Man, this house might really be haunted and by more than just ghosts! A power failure could REALLY cause a disaster.

Maybe they should advertise "BYOFL" so hopefully there would be someone there to help security find their way around in the dark.

Just thankful I don't do haunted houses but if I did, It would really be scary to know security and no weapons-I mean lights!
 

Vesper

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GhostGuy6, you need to be UNAVAILABLE for this job, it's too risky of your job and profession. If you need a flashlight and don't have one, you're unprepared for your job. If you carry a flashlight and it's prohibited, you're in violation of regulations. You need to seriously be UNAVAILABLE.

This I agree with. And like Greta said, they seem pretty low-end as far as any kind of professionalism. I'd look for a different gig. Trust your spidy sense. :caution:
 

Illum

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Next they'll be saying no silverware at dinner and everyone has to eat with their hands.:thumbsdow

I was confronted by the management team about eating my donut using a fork before, apparently forks aren't allowed my work area because kids can reach it:caution::candle:

Let them fend for themselves when the SHTF.

when S does HTF they'll expect you to save them and if you followed the rules and weren't prepared you'd really be in trouble. Kinda like a catch-22, damned if you do damned if you don't:shakehead
 

Lightraven

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I have been told by the security guard at the building where I work that the 4D maglite is the "standard" for security since it can be used as a defensive weapon.....
That being said, if I was in your position, a small single 123 light would be in my pocket regardless... just my 2 lumens

I was working security at my former dorm near UC Santa Barbara with another security guard. He had a big Mag lite. I may have had a minimag, but I don't recall. My "partner" was ordering a college student to "go to your room" for no real reason. The student argued. The guard raised the Mag Lite as if to hit the student in the head. I jumped between them. The student stalked off. My "partner" (I was his supervisor) asked me why I did that. "To keep you out of prison."

I imagine a few incidents like this would cause many security supervisors to simply ban all flashlights--just to be safe. Safe for them, that is. I don't imagine a Photon would be much of a weapon.
 

Illum

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well... if everything is black, and your in that environment for a prolonged period...I can see where someone can become disoriented if a bright light was suddenly turned on in their face and fall into a well, off the roof, drive into a ditch, etc.
 
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