First Aid

Bodyguard Training – Skills You Should Turn up on Your Course With

To become a professional bodyguard requires plenty of training, if you have never done anything like it before there really is a lot to learn. However it never ceases to amaze me how some people feel that as long as they have the money then the trainer can do the rest and turn them into a bodyguard. This is simply not true. Whilst I would be the first to admit that close protection is not “rocket science” you do need to turn up for training with some skills and attributes. This article discusses the skills and attributes which are essential if you wish to become a professional close protection officer. It goes without saying that you should be honest, punctual and have a mature outlook; however I will outline other essential skills and attributes below.

Good Communication skills

The close protection officer has to display excellent communication skills throughout. He needs to be able to speak not only to his principal but to other team members as well as officials. You must be a “people person” because a bodyguard will find himself dealing with people at all levels, from heads of security to hotel chambermaids. Without good communication skills you are unlikely to become a professional bodyguard, in fact you are unlikely to get past the first interview for your first job.

Common Sense

You will need copious amounts of common-sense. Close protection officers often have to “think on their feet” making decisions on their own, assessing situations and working out the appropriate action to take. Unfortunately you cannot be taught common sense, you either have it or you do not.

A Professional Attitude

Close protection officers needed to project a totally professional attitude throughout their working day. You must display this attitude from day one. Anything less than a professional attitude will not see you through your course, let alone a subsequent career.

Good Team Player

Close protection is a team sport, if you are not a team player you should reconsider your career choice. There is absolutely no room for individuals who cannot function well as part of a team. Teamwork is everything and if you do not function well within one then close protection is probably not for you.

Confidence

Whether you have it or not you must learn how to ooze it. Your principal needs to trust that you will do the right thing in an emergency. The confidence that you show on a day-to-day basis will go a long way to you earning the trust of your principal. Professional close protection officers that are not confident in everything they do will just not be taken seriously.

The Modern Bodyguard

Most people, if you asked them to describe a modern bodyguard will conjure up two of the archetypal stereotypes. The first of these might be some large gorilla/gangster-like character, with fat fingers festooned with heavy gold rings. An intimidating figure that speaks in words of one syllable, clearing people out of the path of his client with a grunt and an elbow rather than an “excuse me” and looking like he could not run twenty yards without stopping to catch breath. The second stereotype will probably be the American Secret Service type, large pair of sunglasses, a curly wire leading to an earpiece, and a hand inside a jacket ready to withdraw a machine pistol whilst talking into his sleeve.

Others have no idea what a modern bodyguard is or does. They assume that the security staff they see at music or boxing events are bodyguards. These people are not bodyguards; they may well be trained in crowd management functions and may work part-time as bouncers in bars and clubs, but they are not bodyguards. The reasons for people having these popular misconceptions are not hard to find. The heavies employed in advertising, exhibitions and soap style television are purposely easy to spot. Their already high profile is often over emphasised.

The man in the street sees real bodyguards working every day, if not in the flesh then on the television news. Seeing them is one thing but realising that they are security professionals is another. They are seen but not noticed because they strive to maintain a low profile. Not only do they look normal, their suit fits and their knuckles don’t drag along the ground! The reasons that these professionals can go unnoticed are that they devote a lot of their time into maintaining a low profile. Because they do not look like the public’s idea of a bodyguard this actually helps them as they go about their days work.

So, who are these modern bodyguards that we generally do not notice, and what makes them so special? The twenty-first century bodyguard is often found in a smart but neutrally toned business suit, presenting a discreet and subdued image to the outside world. He is a highly skilled and motivated individual, constantly assessing potential risks and weighing these against his skills and the measures he must take to minimise them. He is fit, not overweight, and an expert in first aid, fire fighting, defensive driving, weapon systems, unarmed combat and communication skills. He will be well trained in all of the skills and drills that he uses daily providing peace of mind and a safe environment for his principal.

Professional Bodyguards Must Have Current First Aid Skills

First Aid skills are important in any walk of life, but being skilled in First Aid is absolutely fundamental to being a Close protection professional. Some schoolchildren are now taught very basic First Aid. This is a good thing. First Aid should be on everybody’s curriculum. Over the years, I have seen and been amazed at the number of bodyguards’ CV/resumes that make no mention of First Aid. When questioned in interview, these candidates mention that yes, they have done First Aid in the Army: ‘about ten years ago’ or ‘I did a lifesaving course, “a while ago”‘.

This is simply not good enough. I can guarantee with some certainty that First Aid skills will be needed in a career of close protection. You may never need that bootleg turn that you practise over and over in the car or the quick draw and chair roll that you have perfected for hotel corridors; but you will need your knowledge of First Aid.

First Aid is a skill like any other; it needs constant practice to remain effective. Techniques and ideas change so it is imperative that you carry out continual training and remain up to date. Most books on ‘close protection’ include a chapter on First Aid but this is a token gesture and often used only to pad out the book. Authors tend to stick to sexy First Aid like suckling chest wounds, tracheotomies and gunshot wounds. They ignore the simple facts, such as your principal is hundreds of times more likely to die choking on a pretzel than be shot in the chest. First Aid needs its own book, and cannot be covered in a single chapter. You will need to undertake a course in First Aid.

In the UK when the Security Industry Authority (SIA) commissioned the key skills or core competencies, the draft documents included just sexy First Aid. Some sensible folk lobbied to get this taken out and be replaced by a formal qualification in First Aid. Eventually, the SIA chose the Health and Safety Executive’s ‘First Aid at Work’ course, which is run over four days and which is accompanied by written and practical exams. In the UK, therefore, you will need this First Aid qualification to get a licence to operate as a Close Protection Officer. The course covers much more than tracheotomies and for those that really want to know, yes, they do teach you about suckling chest wounds.

The course will cover the following:

Introduction to first aid
Personal hygiene
Circulation
Resuscitation
Dressings and bandages
Wounds and bleeding
Circulatory disorders
Duties of a First Aider
The skeleton
Fractures
Unconsciousness
Burns and scalding
Handling and transport

This course certificate is valid for three years; thereafter, before your certificate runs out, you must undertake a two day refresher course. Go over three years and you will have to do the whole course again to get re-certificated.Other Essential First Aid Courses

While the basic First Aid course above is enough to get you a licence to operate in the UK you should consider at least two other First Aid qualifications, which are essential if you are to become a protection professional.

Automated External Defibrillator Course

This short course teaches you how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). This device can be used to administer measured electric shocks to people in the throes of cardiac arrest and is the best way of increasing their chance of survival. Many close protection teams routinely carry AEDs and you must be trained in their use. Most ‘de-fib’ courses last around one day and the course certificate must be renewed every six months.

First Aid for children

Very often the addition of a first aid certificate applicable to children will make a close protection officer more employable in a family environment. Most courses available are aimed at giving first aid to adults so you will have to look hard to find one especially for children. First aid techniques for children differ in some crucial areas. Participants learn about techniques for resuscitating children and infants, conducting risk assessments and how to deal with choking, burns, scalds and seizures. In a career in close protection, you will find that you work for principals that have families that include young children. You will often be charged with their care. You need to know what to do in the event of an accident or illness. If you are working in an environment that includes children, you cannot be a bodyguard without these skills.