Control Room Supervisor - Brad's Story
Bradley Neicho
Brad is the Operations Manager at Hume Protection Group, based in Geelong, Victoria.
He manages both the control room and the patrols. He supervises the monitoring centre operators and the patrol officers out on guard duty who are responsible for responding to alarms and security checks of commercial and residential premises.
The operators monitor client alarms 24 hours a day. Alarms include burglar and fire alarms, access control, CCTV, night cameras and GPRS wireless alarms. The company installs and services alarms and provides a monitoring service. When an alarm is activated, the monitoring centre operator works through a standard response procedure. If a call out is required, the operator contacts their mobile patrol officers to check and secure the premises. The company has over 1600 clients on its database.
He finds the work interesting and challenging and says he can expect something different every night - different alarms going off, different traffic conditions and environmental conditions. He may also be rung at all hours of the night by patrol officers if they are faced with a tricky situation and don’t know how to deal with it.
Brad was an electrician by trade, and then ran his own business fixing washing machines and dryers for 18 years before deciding he wanted a change in career. He started in the security industry as a guard and then as a mobile patrol officer and more recently moved into the role of operations manager. He’s been working with Hume Protection Group for over six years.
His security training was gained on the job. The company is committed to supporting staff who want to increase their skill levels and works closely with equipment manufacturers who provide training on how to use and service their equipment.
It’s a good company to work for – there are opportunities for staff to grow and take on more responsibilities, which can be both personally challenging and rewarding.
The security industry is expanding and his company wants to expand beyond the local region, as well as grow the electronics security side of the business. There will be job opportunities for people in their company and in the industry generally. The industry needs people who are competent, well trained and self motivated.
The industry has improved substantially in recent years. It’s more regulated and requires a higher level of competency from its workers who must demonstrate professionalism and a responsible attitude to work when carrying out their duties.
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Bradley Neicho
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