Basic Safety & Security Course

23 Aug 2012 to 25 Aug 2012
Soesterberg, Netherlands

  • Provider

    Centre for Safety and Development


  • The Basic Safety and Security Course prepares participants for working and travelling in medium and high risk areas.

    Participants learn and practice the skills needed to operate safely in dangerous areas. This will give staff a rational attitude and self-confidence, thus increasing their personal and professional effectiveness in the field.

  • Method:
    Strong emphasis on interaction and practical exercises. Simulations are an integrated part of the training. The training is conducted in a safe learning environment.

    Participants:
    NGO staff working and/or travelling in medium or high risk areas.

    Duration:
    3 days, including two evening programmes. This course is organised every month.

    Location:
    The Netherlands, monthly in Soesterberg.
    Globally (tailor-made to your own organisation and location)

    Language:
    English

    Costs:
    NGOs/Researchers € 1.630,-

    Other organisations/governments € 2.230,-

    Including all course materials, lunch, and coffee/tea (VAT is not applicable), excluding accommodation and dinner € 215,- (excl. 6% VAT).


    Is this the right course for me?
    If you are travelling to an area which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has classified as unsafe, this course is the right course for you. Please keep in mind that even if an area is not classified as unsafe you must make your own judgement concerning the risks.

    Course Content

    Security Awareness
    Working in insecure areas requires good analysis of context and threats. This analysis is crucial in taking realistic and appropriate security measures. The Security Awareness module is based on the “Circle of Security”, an easy-to-use tool to assess dangerous environments.

    In this interactive session you will have the opportunity to discuss the practical steps to work safely in risk areas. You will learn the basics of field security and will exercise the key points of this module in case studies. These case studies are the starting point for the rest of the Basic Course.

    Participants will learn the following:

    • Context Analysis; what is the impact of my research and how does that affect my safety? How does the environment I work in influence my security?
    • Risk Assessment; what are the threats that can cause me or my colleagues harm? How can I assess the risk I am facing in a certain environment?
    • Risk Reducing Strategies; how can I reduce risk by adopting the right strategy: acceptance, protection and/or deterrence?
    • Standard Operation Procedures; you learn how SOPs can enhance your safety. SOPs we discuss are: Communications, Vehicle Travel and Movement, Site Security, Staff Health and Welfare, Financial and Information Security.
    • Contingency planning; you learn how to work with emergency plans. If all things go wrong, what do you do?
    • Incident reporting; how to inform your organisation if an incident occurs?



    Emergency First Response
    In case of a wounded person, problems such as chaos on the scene, poor communication, limited medical knowledge and limited available facilities can increase the difficulty of the situation. Therefore you should be able to perform lifesaving skills. In this module the emphasis is on practicing and rehearsing these skills.

    Participants will learn the following:

    • Assess the medical context of a country
    • How to act at the scene of an accident
    • Perform life saving skills (ABC Protocol)
    • Solving airway and breathing problems
    • Transporting an injured person
    • Dealing with (multiple) fractures
    • Treating (severe) bleedings
    • Recognising and treating shock
    • Dealing with shot/blast wounds


    Ammunition Awareness
    In most (former) conflict areas there is a serious threat of unexploded ammunition and landmines. In this module you learn to recognise the different kinds of weapons, mines and ammunition.

    Communication is vital is high risk areas, especially when coming across mines or ammunition. You will learn to operate and communicate via HF radio communication and to report incidents. The emphasis will be on practical skills and awareness in order to assess risks independently and avoid unnecessary dangers.

    Participants will learn the following:

    • Recognising different types of mines/ammunition, marking signs & warning clues
    • Knowing the dangers involved with mines and ammunition
    • Preparing travel and vehicle movement
    • Avoiding and reacting to mines and ammunition
    • Communication procedures, HF communication use an incident reporting


    Dealing with Aggression
    Aggression can vary from corrupt and supercilious government officials to armed robbery.

    In this module you learn how to lower the stress level of the aggressor and yourself through controlling your own emotions and non-verbal behaviour. This increases your chance of surviving the situation. The module is highly interactive and makes use of an aggression actor during practical exercises.

    Participants will learn the following:

    • Types of aggression and differences between emotional and instrumental aggression
    • How to deal with supercilious bureaucrats, carjacking, robbery, and hostage taking
    • Recognising dangerous situations
    • Staying calm when confronted with aggression
    • Influencing the stress level of the aggressor with your personal behaviour
    • Negotiating your way out of a situation
    • Identifying the four phases of a hostage situation
    • Dealing with a long term hostage situation, staying physically and mentally healthy


    Simulations
    All acquired skills will be practiced in real-life simulations. In these practical exercises you learn to anticipate and react in threatening situations. All simulations will be practised in small groups and are supervised by experienced CSD trainers.

    After each simulation you will receive feedback on your personal and group behaviour and actions from both the trainer and the actors.

    Although the simulations can be challenging and demanding, they will be manageable and  provide an excellent learning experience. This will increase your self-confidence and will help you develop the right attitude toward the risks involved.

    Do you want to apply for this course?
    Please use this link to apply for the Basic Safety & Security Course.

    More information?
    Please contact Suzan Bergh: Suzan@centreforsafety.org

    +31 (0) 33 463 0293