Private Security & Investigative Services

Training & Testing

Security Guard Test Preparation Guide

Section 12- Emergency Level First Aid

Emergency Level First Aid training and certification is a requirement of the basic training program for security guards. The equivalent to St. John Ambulance course Emergency Level First Aid is the standard.

Upon completion of an emergency level first aid course, security guards should be familiar with:

• emergency scene management
• treatment of shock, unconsciousness and fainting
• choking – adults
• severe bleeding
• One Rescuer CPR – Adult.

Note: This section is not a substitution for in-course training and certification.

First Aid is made up of both knowledge and skills. Some of that knowledge can be found in this study guide, and it can be learned by studying it. The best way to acquire First Aid skills is to take a recognized First Aid course from a qualified instructor. Emergency Level First Aid is a mandatory component of the training program for new security guards. For more information consult the “Training and Testing” section of the ministry website.

What is First Aid?

First Aid is emergency care or treatment to an injured or ill person using readily available materials before regular medical attention can be obtained. First Aid is intended to preserve life, prevent further injury and promote recovery.

Anyone can take charge of an emergency scene and provide first aid. Ambulance personnel, police officers, and firefighters may be called to the scene of an emergency and are known as “first responders”. It is their job to respond to an emergency. They are trained to take charge of a scene as soon as they arrive. You can expect them to ask direct questions about the scene, the casualty and your involvement. If a security guard is trained in First Aid, they may tell them ‘I am a First-Aider’; give the history of the scene and the condition of the casualty.

In addition to providing first aid, a security guard on an emergency scene may also:

• protect the casualty’s belongings
• keep unnecessary people away
• reassure family or friends of the casualty.

Security guards should familiarize themselves with their employers’ First Aid policies, including accident reporting, in order to respond to emergency situations as effectively and quickly as possible.

Typically, a recognized First Aid course would include training on:

• Emergency scene management
• Treatment of shock, unconsciousness or fainting
• Treatment for choking – adults
• One Rescuer CPR – adult

References/Resources

St John’s Ambulance Emergency Level First Aid Training