Security firms struggle with demand

Security firms around the country as well as in Canterbury have been stretched by a surge in demand for staffing and electronic monitoring after the mosque attacks.

New Zealand Security Association chief executive Gary Morrison said he had had several calls about staff support for government departments around the country considered at possible risk.

‘‘We brought together contractors and talked with police about guidance for policing events in different centres,’’ he said.

The most immediate task in Christchurch for security firms was managing the lockdown of businesses and organisations when the first alerts were sounded, David Proud of VIP Security said.

‘‘People were pushing open automatically locked down security doors,’’ he said.

‘‘They must be able to open them for safety but it means we were flat out going around the city re-setting the electronic controls on the doors.’’

The Christchurch Art Gallery was a problem spot because many people and schoolchildren were herded there for safety.

‘‘Every organisation such the Justice Department or Environment Canterbury has a different security risk profile,’’ Proud said.

‘‘Some are managed remotely by us, in other cases staff at the premises can re-set security doors themselves.’’

Ike Houghton, chief executive of Sub5 Security in Christchurch, said the company took steps to secure its own premises as well as telling clients to lock down.

‘‘Until we knew more about what was going on our first concerns were for our own staff, many of them from overseas and a potential target,’’ Houghton said.

‘‘We have a warehouse and office premises with radio communication so we were listening to up to the minute information.

‘‘We just hunkered down like the school kids, and I kept in constant communication with my managers and their families.’’

Several organisations are still using security services. Some security companies have struggled to provide sufficient staff and called in casuals, including some students.

Houghton said all his appropriate qualifications.

Some security firms such as First Security Guard Services, employing about 2000 people nationwide, were able to bring in staff from other centres.

Leeann Watson, chief executive of the Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce, said that in the coming days and weeks businesses would reflect on how well they responded and what they might have learned about lockdown policies – ‘‘who had them and who didn’t’’. 55 staff held