PA and Secretary Community - Deskdemon.com

I was just curious if any of the front lobby Receptionists/Admins out there had any sort of panic plan?

Ya know in case a customer or former employee shows up in your lobby with a gun or bomb or something.



What would be your procedures in an event like this?



The reason I ask is I was informed that management laid off someone who is known to be mentally unstable and I want to be prepared.

GOOD TOPIC!



We have professional security on site here at the front lobby area.  You have to show your ID or sign in if you are not an employee to get in the building.  I'm curious to hear how admins who ARE the security force handle this situation also, since we may be moving to a site without the luxury of a separate security guard...

Laundryhater - if you could get me your e-mail I could send you to security manual that I created for my last position. It has lots of good tips in for situations like this. (foodie24@yahoo.com)

CowTownAdmin:



Please email this to my home email account:



laundryhater@aol.com



Thanks!

I would like that manual too, if possible.  poswiatt@calib.com.  thanks

Raising hand... Me too me too



Dedlered@administrative-assistants.com

Add me to the list, please!  donna@administrative-assistants.com

We have security for our complex of buildings, but they are in a different building than I am in. I would have to call them and wait 5 or 10 minutes for them to get here. I don't like this. I'd rather have a security guard right outside my lobby and available at the touch of a panic button like banks have.

okay, add me to that list, pretty please



BSASmith@mindspring.com

Me too.



blufire21@aol.com

At my previous job with a television station, the receptionist sat out in the lobby by herself.  All employees had to have a passcard to "beep" in behind the glass doors (leaving her in the lobby unprotected).  She had 3 buttons on her desk.  One was to "beep" visitors through or employees when they forgot their passcard.  The 2nd button automatically locked the front doors in case she saw a crazy person with a gun coming up the steps or out in the parking lot.  The third button was the panic button, it rang in the back in Master Control. They would immediately call her and ask her questions about what was wrong.  If something was wrong, the police were summoned and the largest of our guys would immediately come to the front lobby.  Most of the time when the buzzer went off it was because her chair inadvertently got pushed up against the button.  Also we had a camera in the bushes behind her that fed video back into the master control room so they could see what was going on out there in the lobby. I only had to use the automatic lock button once when I was relieving the receptionist.  One of the other television stations had called us and tipped us off that a "crazy person" was coming our way and to be on the lookout They even faxed us a digital picture of him.  Sure enough, he pulled up in the parking lot and was coming up the steps when he was met by some big guys coming out of our building.  Within several minutes, the police arrived and took control of the situation.  And yes, our cameramen were out there shooting video too. It was scary and my heart was racing!

I put the "mad" icon because my former company didn't have security or any rules in place about unstable people.  No one explained me how to prepare in case of an emergency like this, even when I asked!!!  No one seemed to know what to do!  People had to sign in but didn't have to show any ID.  There were no security cards, anyone could walk through the front door AND EVEN THE SIDE DOORS-no one would even know they came in!  They really did not react quickly when I called that a person with no known agenda was in the lobby, which COULD be a recipe for disaster if it's the wrong person...I really hope they get their act together!!!

Execsec:



That sounds like a great set up! I wish we had that set up.



We have security door we have to type in a code number on and employee badges, but unfortunately so far our plan for emergencies consist of:



a. Calling a supervisor, or

b. Calling security and waiting til they show up 10 minutes later.



That lock down thing sounds great.



I also sometimes wish I had a trap door under the floor for unruly or rude customers - (just kidding).

Cowtown,

Please add me to the list for that security handbook



Didface@administrative-assistants.com



Thanks!

A "panic" button was added under the reception desk.  If that button was pressed, police was automatically dispatched.  At the same time, the strobe lights in both sections of the office flashed, which alerted staff of a situation in the lobby.  All employees were instructed to leave through the rear exit doors.  Only one manager would casually enter the lobby area.  That was the plan -- we never had to use it as long as I was at the office.



No areas of our office were secured.

 

Please send me a copy too!



bridget@sternhall.com



We have absolutely nothing as far as security is concerned!  Yikes!!  So I'm not sure what I would do when that happens.  Well I can pray it doesn't that's one thing.  



But I had one crazy-looking messenger come in (when I was by myself) and said, "Wow you're here all by yourself huh" really sleazy you know.  So I said, "Yep all myself but the good thing is that the boss's pit bull is on the other side sleeping"  



Bridget

Hmm, now there's something we don't think of very often at a small engineering firm (civil engineer or overworked drafter goes "postal"??  ). But you can never be too prepared for anything, especially as our firm and clientele are rapidly growing. Also we are in an office building with other businesses, and people coming in and out of the building all day. I would appreciate receiving a copy of that manual, too, and I will pass it along to our Office Manager/HR. Thanks!  



jgrover@ahbl.com

CowTownAdmin,



Jumping on the bandwagon.  I too would appreciate a copy of the manual.



tanzbar@administrative-assistants.com



Thanks.

Maybe you could make it a newsletter submission?

excellent idea there, Liz



CowTown . . .thanks for getting the manual out so promptly!  Your e-mail was waiting for me when I got to work this morning.

Thank you to everyone who has requested the security manual I hope that it gives you some useful ideas.

Cow Town....could I have a copy of that manual, too?  I'd really appreciate it.



tlc2559@aol.com



i'm not sure what our security is....all employees have a plastic "thing" for entering the building...but the front door is unlocked during the day and I don't know if our receptionist has any kind of panic button, etc.  We do have an alarm, but I don't know if she has any kind of  button available at her desk that would summon police, etc.  We're an engineering firm, so as someone else said, don't really worry about "postal" employees, but ya just never know!



tlc in TN

Bridget:



That was good, quick thinking about the pit bull. I'll have to remember that one.



CowTown:



I haven't had a chance to read your manual yet. But thank you for sending it.

CowTown,



I didn't get an email, so if you just haven't gotten to it forgive me for seeming pushy.  My email is:  poswiatt@calib.com.



Thanks

Could I have it too, please?

elizabeth.baker@phoenixsearch.com.



Thanks.

Our receptionist also has a "panic button" that is used to summon police and a couple of the guys in our office, and she has a button to lock the front door.  We've had a couple of nuts come here and she locked them out and phoned the police (versus hitting the panic button).  Once we had a car repeatedly circling our parking lot, driven by a shifty-looking man.  Several of us noticed him and after a little debate, we called the police.  Turns out his wife was here for a job interview and he was watching their baby.  The baby got fussy, so he drove around and around our parking lot until the baby went to sleep!!  Anyways, better safe than sorry!