Cvetković, V., Pavlović, S., & Janković, B. (2021). Private security preparedness for disasters caused by fires. Journal of Criminalistics and Law, NBP, 26(1), 35–59.

PRIVATE SECURITY PREPAREDNESS FOR DISASTERS CAUSED BY FIRES

1Vladimir Cvetković, 2Slavica Pavlović, 3Bojan D. Janković1

1University of Belgrade, Faculty of Security Studies, Belgrade, Serbia

2Scientific-Professional Society for Disaster Risk Management, Belgrade, Serbia

3University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies, Belgrade, Serbia

Abstract: The subject of the research was the examination of the factors of in- fluence on the preparedness of the private security for disasters caused by fire. In addition to determining the preparedness index, there are deeper insights into the interrelationships between various selected variables and the level of preparedness of members of the private security. Using the random sampling method, 300 adult members of the private security were selected, and they participated in the research. The results of the research indicate that members of private security were not sufficiently prepared to react to fires. The research results could be used as a starting point for conducting further research in this area since the improvement in training of security personnel plays an impor- tant role in disaster control and prevention, thereby producing safer and more secure work environment and society.

Keywords: security, factors of influence, members, private security, fires.

INTRODUCTION

Any deviation from the regular course of life has a negative impact on the eco- nomic, cultural, political, and social capital of a community and requires an adequate response in the form of spe- cial protection measures by persons specially trained to deal with disasters (Al-ramlawi et al., 2020; Busch & Giv-

ens, 2013; Kaur, 2020; Menković et al., 2018). Appropriate implementation of special protection measures is especially emphasized in fires because they occur more often than other disasters (Cvet- ković, 2016a; Cvetković, 2016b; Dwyer et al., 2000; Marshall et al., 1998). As a frequent and serious threat to the safety

1 Corresponding author: bojan.jankovic@kpu.edu.rs

of people and their property (Gulaid et al., 1988; Mallonee et al., 1996), fire is a process of uncontrolled combustion of combustible matter, the occurrence of which requires the presence of combus- tible matter, presence of oxygen, an ener- gy source, and mutual influence of these elements (Cvetković & Gačić, 2017). Timely and proper reaction in the initial phase of a fire can affect the prevention of fires that may have huge consequences (Gulaid et al., 1988; Martell, 2015). This is the reason why it is advisable for a per- son designated as the “first responder”, often a member of the private security, to acquire certain knowledge and skills to be able to respond to a disaster caused by fire (Bojičić, 2013; Milojević et al., 2015).

Various events and the burden on the state system have imposed the need to engage the private security industry (Craighead, 2009; Edwards & Heiduk, 2015). The measures and tasks entrusted to members of private security depend on the type of engagement, which can be preventive or repressive. When repres- sive measures occur, it is a sign that an emergency has occurred and caused dis- asters for the tasks of the security service (Milošević, 2006). In the event of a fire, it is necessary to follow the steps provided by the procedure for dealing with fires. In case of small fires, it is necessary to start extinguishing using adequate means. In any other case, support, i.e., engagement of experts is obligatory. Of course, for a person to participate in firefighting, it is necessary to have adequate training and knowledge in this area, because other- wise, such a person can endanger both himself and the others (Hignett et al., 2015; Milen, 2009; Useem et al., 2005; Cvetković & Filipović, 2018). By respect- ing the prescribed standards and norms, there is an adequate distance provided between the facilities which would pre-

vent the spread of fire, sufficient water for firefighting and access roads that also allow easier access to facilities and effi- cient evacuation of vulnerable persons (Raković & Jakovlјević, 2011).

To mitigate the risk of negative conse- quences of disasters, various preventive measures are applied (Cvetković et al., 2020; Gulaid et al., 1988; Hussaini, 2020), which can be grouped as structural and non-structural measures (Cvetković, 2016a; Cvetković, 2016b). Structural measures include all construction, me- chanical, electrical measures that pre- vent the occurrence of fire spreading. Non-structural measures imply the ac- quisition of appropriate knowledge and implementation of certain training to respond efficiently and promptly (Goy- al, 2019). In the literature, several papers are examining the level of preparedness to respond to fire disasters (De Wit & Helsloot, 2021; Knuth et al., 2017; Steen- Hansen et al., 2021; Sund & Jaldell, 2018; Cvetković & Filipović, 2018; Cvetković & Gačić, 2017; Cvetković et al., 2018; Khan, 2008; Kumar & Newport, 2007; Mumović & Cvetković, 2019; Olawuni et al., 2020; Ozmen, 2006). For the purpos- es of this paper, fire preparedness shall mean the following: appropriate knowl- edge of combustion processes, ways of extinguishing fires, preventive measures; written or oral response plans in such situations; evacuation plan; fire alarm and extinguishing devices (Kihila, 2017; Mahoney et al., 2005; Rohrmann, 1995; Sturtevant & McCaffrey, 2006; Cvetk- ović & Filipović, 2018). The researchers’ attention was also drawn to the issue of preparedness of members of emergency rescue services and other services of the private security sector to determine the degree of their preparedness for efficient work performance (Aleksandrina et al., 2019; Cvetković & Janković, 2020; Jank-

NBP • Journal of Criminalistics and Law Vol. 26, No. 1

ović & Cvetković, 2020; Kumiko & Shaw, 2019; Öcal et al., 2020; Vraćević & Cvet- ković, 2019; Xuesong & Kapucu, 2019).

Given that it is concluded that no gov- ernment has the ability and knowledge to provide adequate security to its citi- zens, hence the need for private security companies to complement the state’s ef- forts (Chinwokwu, 2018). Security activ- ities are a permanent system of measures and procedures that, according to a cer- tain plan, are undertaken by authorized services or individuals together with and in cooperation with other related servic- es to protect the object of security meas- ures (Isenberg, 2009). Therefore, the term security and protection of persons means a set of measures, actions, and procedures that ensure their integrity and uninterrupted performance of func- tions (Schulz & Yeung, 2008). Nowa- days, there is more and more unplanned construction of various facilities, which usually do not meet the conditions of ad- equate fire protection. The consequenc-

es caused by this approach are not taken into account until they occur (Raković & Jakovlјević, 2011). According to Cv- etković and Filipović (2018), the level of awareness of citizens about fires, their occurrence, and possible consequences play a significant role in taking preven- tive measures to prevent fire outbreaks.

The review of various scientific papers di- rectly or indirectly related to the actions of officials in the event of disasters (Busch & Givens, 2013; Chinwokwu, 2018; Cvet- kovic, 2019; Janković et al., 2019) has re- vealed that there is the compliance in the ability of security service to act in disas- ters, but also that not enough attention and research has been paid to this topic. Regarding to that, the aim of this paper is scientific explanation of the private se- curity preparedness for disasters caused by fire. In accordance with the above, the presumed goal of the research refers to the scientific description of the index of preparedness of the private security members for reacting to fires.

METHOD

The subject of the research is a com- prehensive examination of the nature of preparedness of the private security members to respond to disasters caused by fires (Figure 1). In addition to deter-

mining the preparedness index, there are deeper insights into the interrela- tionships between the various selected variables and the level of preparedness itself.

Figure 1. Research design

Sample

In the research process, the members of private security currently at work in all three shifts participated. There were 300 respondents who participated in the

research and they were selected by the method of random sampling. Demo- graphic and socio-economic character- istics of the sample are shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Sample structure (N = 300)

Variable

Figure 2. Respondents’ answers regarding knowledge of fire response procedures

When asked, “Are there emergency pro- respondents confirmed that there were cedures in your workplace?” 84.33% the such procedures, while 15.67% stat-

NBP • Journal of Criminalistics and Law Vol. 26, No. 1

ed there were none. When asked, “Are you familiar with the guidelines on how to act in case of activation of the fire alarm?” about 89.33% respondents stat- ed that they were familiar, while 10.67% answered in the negative. Also, 88% re- spondents answered in the affirmative to the question “Are you familiar with the fire emergency action plan?” while 12% stated that they were not familiar with it. Out of all respondents, 93% an- swered that they were familiar with the fire emergency evacuation plan, while 7% respondents answered that they were not familiar with it (Figure 2).

When asked, “Are the fire emergency evacuation exercises being carried out at your workplace?” 60.3% of respond- ents answered that they are, while 39.7% stated that they are not carried out. More than half of the respondents 53.7% be-

lieve that the facility they are working at is fully prepared to deal with emer- gencies, while only 1% of respondents believe that the facility is completely unprepared. When assessing their indi- vidual preparedness, a very small num- ber of respondents believe that they are unprepared for various disasters (3%), while the vast majority believes that they are prepared for them.

With respect to assessing the prepared- ness of their colleagues, only nine re- spondents consider their colleagues un- prepared to deal with disasters. On the other hand, estimating the fire risk and probability of its occurrence in the fol- lowing 5 years, 59.5% of respondents be- lieve that a fire will certainly not happen or will not happen in their workplace, 9.9% have no opinion on this issue (Fig- ure 3).

Figure 3. Respondents’ answers regarding probability of fire occurrence according to years of work experience

About 56% mentioned material con- sequences as the most probable ones, while 24.3% mentioned the loss of life,

19.3% listed the occurrence of injuries, while only one respondent recognized environmental consequences as the most

probable one. To the question “In your opinion, what is the correct procedure in case of activation the fire alarm control panel?”, the majority of respondents, 251

out of 300, said that they would approach the control panel and read the informa- tion on it, 7.7% think that the fire fighters should be called immediately (Table 2).

Table 2. Respondents’ answers regarding the correct procedure in case of activation of the fire alarm control panel

Procedure	Frequency	%
Leave the workplace	3	1
Wait for the alarm to go off	9	3
Read the information on the control panel	251	83.7
The fire department is called immediately	23	7.7
The head of the security department is called	14	4.7
Total	300	100

When asked to specify the legal period for retesting fire extinguishers was, 70.3% of respondents answered that retesting was done after 6 months, 18% of respondents believed that fire extinguishers were re- tested after 9 months, 8.7% thought that it was done after 12 months, 2.3% of re- spondents believed it was done after 3 months, while 0.7% thought that the de- vices were not retested.

A total of 293 respondents answered that the telephone number of the fire service was 193 (the correct answer), five re- spondents answered that the number of the fire service was 192, 1 respondent

answered that the number of the fire ser- vice was 194 and 1 respondent answered that it was 112. In the process of extin- guishing the fire, the person in charge of fire protection must know how each fire should be extinguished. When asked to specify the type of fire that can be extin- guished with a fire extinguisher the ma- jority of respondents (77.7%) answered that only fire in the initial stage can be extinguished. About 81.3% of respond- ents would put out the fire on electrical installations with powder, while 8.7% of respondents were not sure which tool to use (Table 3).

Table 3. Respondents’ answers regarding firefighting in electrical installations

Choice	Frequency	%
Powder	244	81.3
Foam	17	5.7
Water	3	1
Sand	10	3.3
I am not sure	26	8.7
Total	300	100

NBP • Journal of Criminalistics and Law Vol. 26, No. 1

Analysing the importance of education, the respondents were asked whether they attended safety and health at work training when entering employment. Out of 300 respondents, 288 confirmed that they attended the mentioned train-

ing, while 12 of them stated that they did not. In terms of holding licenses, most members of the private security are li- censed to perform the basic duties of unarmed security officers (Table 4).

Table 4. Overview of license holders – members of the private security

License	Answer	Frequency	%
License for risk assessment in the protec- tion of persons, property and business	Yes	104	34.7
	No	196	65.3
License for performing basic duties of a security officer – without weapons	Yes	227	75.7
	No	73	24.3
License for performing specialist tasks of security officers – with weapons	Yes	101	33.7
	No	199	66.3
License for performing technical protec- tion system planning activities	Yes	51	17
	No	249	83
License for technical protection activities	Yes	50	16.7
License for technical protection activities	No	250	83.3
Certificate of passing the professional exam in the field of fire protection	Yes	205	68.3
	No	95	31.7

With respect to issues of preparedness, in terms of being familiar with the in- structions for response in case of the fire alarm and the fire emergency action plan, 79.66% answered that they were familiar with the plan and instructions, and that the proper procedure was to approach the fire alarm control panel and read the information on it. About 78.7% had the opportunity to use a fire extinguisher, while 68.3% respondents participated in firefighting. Out of 205 respondents who stated that they par- ticipated in firefighting, 190 respondents used the fire extinguisher.

Out of a total of 181 respondents who participated in the evacuation exercises, 166 respondents rated their prepared- ness as “fully or partially prepared”, 13 respondents rated themselves as “nei- ther prepared nor unprepared”, while two respondents rated themselves as “completely unprepared”. Out of a total of 119 respondents who did not partic- ipate in the evacuation exercises, 92 re- spondents rated themselves as “fully or partially prepared”, 18 respondents rated themselves as “neither prepared nor un- prepared”, while 9 respondents declared that they were “partially or completely unprepared” (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Percentage distribution of attitudes regarding the assessment of personal preparedness in relation to the conducted evacuation exercises

Using the T-test, a statistically signifi- cant difference between the mean values of the observed variables in men and women was investigated. Before using the test, we examined the general and special preconditions for its implemen- tation. The obtained research results show that there is a statistically signifi-

cant difference (p < 0.001) in results be- tween men and women in terms of the subscale of education. Women (mean difference = 1.62, standard deviation =

0.17) are more widely educated and with licenses necessary to work than men (mean difference = 1.49, standard devi- ation = 0.21).

Table 5. Results of one-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) of different education groups and subscales of education, preparedness and risk perception (N = 300)

Variable	Age		Education		Marital status
Education subscale	1.17	.31	3.35	.068	3.90	.022*
Preparedness subscale	2.72	.06	2.23	.084	4.93	.008*
Risk perception subscale	4.18	.017*	0.52	.093	8.64	.000**

Note: *p ≤ .05; **p ≤ .01

NBP • Journal of Criminalistics and Law Vol. 26, No. 1

One-way ANOVA results show that there is a statistically significant difference be- tween the mean values of these groups in risk perception (Table 5). Further anal- yses show that respondents aged 30-50 (mean difference = 2.74, standard devi- ation = 1.06) perceive risks to a greater extent if compared to respondents aged 18-30 (mean difference = 2.52, standard deviation = 1.04). In addition, the impact of education and the subscale of educa- tion, preparedness and risk perception were examined. The obtained results show that there is no statistically signifi- cant difference between the mean values of these groups in the subscales of educa- tion, preparedness, and risk perception.

The obtained results show that there is a statistically significant difference be- tween the mean values of marital status in the subscale of education, prepared- ness, and risk perception. Further anal-

yses show that respondents who are not married (mean difference = 1.51, stand- ard deviation = 0.22) invest more in their education and promoted to perform pri- vate security activities if compared with the respondents who are married (mean difference = 1.47, standard deviation = 0.21). Further analyses also found that non-married respondents (mean differ- ence = 1.27, standard deviation = 0.28) rated their level of preparedness higher than married respondents (mean differ- ence = 1.27, standard deviation = 0.28), which is directly conditioned by the pre- vious results. Finally, it was found that the respondents who are not married (mean difference = 2.76, standard devia- tion = 1.04) assess the risks of fire emer- gency in the company as more probable one than the respondents who are mar- ried (mean difference = 2.33, standard deviation = 0.93).

DISCUSSION

The obtained research results show that slightly more than half of the respond- ents participated in firefighting and that they have some kind of experience in such situations. Such results may indi- cate that fires are very common in the workplace or that experiences have been gained through various trainings, which is consistent with the results of previ- ous research (Nilson & Bonander, 2020; Stumpf et al., 2017).

However, the question arises as to wheth- er the way of reacting in such situations was appropriate and timely. In addition, the majority of respondents believe that there is a risk of fire in the workplace, which largely indicates the need and im- portance of education and training of em- ployees for safe and proper response. An

encouraging circumstance is the fact that most of the respondents stated that there are fire extinguishers in the workplace. Certainly, it has not been determined whether these devices are correct and whether all employees would know how to use them in disasters caused by fires. The results show that more than 70% had the opportunity to use the mentioned de- vices, which still does not indicate wheth- er they were used properly. Although the results obtained are consistent with previ- ous research (Chien & Wu, 2008; Warda & Ballesteros, 2008; Xin & Huang, 2014), in the future research, it is necessary to determine the extent to which employ- ees are trained for their proper and safe use. Also, the results showed that slightly more than a half of the respondents had

experience with the hydrant network, but it was not determined how they used it and whether it was done in a proper and safe way (Coar et al., 2020).

The fact is that the fire cannot be abso- lutely prevented, but by taking various preventive measures, establishing regu- lar inspection processes, regular servic- ing and maintenance of fire protection systems, correct and regular updating of procedures, instructions and other internal acts, which provide fire protec- tion, it is possible to reduce consequenc- es in case of fire (Crosby, 1905; Daane & Toth, 2005; Diamantes & Jones, 2020; Fan et al., 2020; Fuller, 1991; Mallonee et al., 1996; Zamarreño-Aramendia et al., 2020). Therefore, it is extremely im- portant that the person entrusted with fire protection is informed about the measures and steps taken in case of fire protection. The obtained results showed that only a small number of respondents (one tenth) are not familiar with fire pro- tection measures in the workplace and the largest number of respondents point out that there are defined procedures for dealing with fires. Such research results are consistent with the results of numer- ous studies conducted around the world (Hapgood et al., 2000; Kendrick, 1994; Mulvaney & Kendrick, 2004). In prac- tice, the question arises as to whether this is a reflection of the real situation or the desire to present the situation in a much better perspective than it really is. Employee testing is needed to determine objective knowledge of such procedures in practice.

Certainly, it is important to point out that the respondents largely emphasize that they know the processes of burn- ing and extinguishing, while on the oth- er hand, it should be emphasized that their knowledge about it has not been

tested, but it is a subjective assessment. Certainly, the obtained research results are in accordance with the previously conducted research (Istre et al., 2002; Kumar & Rao, 1995; Metallinou, 2020). At the same time, it was determined that the respondents were slightly more fa- miliar with the method of extinguishing fires in relation to the knowledge of the combustion process. Preparedness for the worst case scenario is a basic precon- dition for improving resilience, and reg- ular exercises and simulations play a sig- nificant role in this process (Kendrick, 1994; Kendrick et al., 2013). However, almost half of the respondents clearly indicated that evacuation exercises and trainings are not carried out in the work- place. This can be a serious safety issue given all the undeniable benefits of such exercises (Kinateder et al., 2014; Murphy & Foot, 2011; Silva et al., 2013; Zhao et al., 2009).

There is no relationship between educa- tion and subscales of education, prepar- edness and risk perception. The results of the research are not consistent with the results of previous research which emphasizes the importance of education in various aspects of fire preparedness (Rhodes, 2011; Rohrmann, 1995; Salm- on, 2004). On the other hand, a statis- tically significant association was found between gender and the education sub- scale, which is consistent with some studies (Andrews et al., 2014) while not with others (Setyawan et al., 2021). In relation to age it was determined that such a link exists with the subscale of risk perception, while the marital status of such a connection exists with the sub- scale of education. Several studies have also found a connection between fam- ily structure and residential fires (Fahy & Norton, 1989; Southwick & Butler, 1985). Starting from the results that

NBP • Journal of Criminalistics and Law Vol. 26, No. 1

unmarried respondents invest more in their education, it can be assumed that they have more free time, financial re- sources and are more interested in their training. Such assumptions also explain the results according to which such a category of respondents to a greater ex- tent assesses the level of their prepared- ness. However, the question arises as to what the decisive factors are that influ- ence unmarried respondents in relation to the previously mentioned factors.

By taking various preventive measures, the consequences in the event of a fire can be reduced, which is why it is im- portant that the person entrusted with fire protection is aware of the preven- tive measures. In order to achieve that, it is necessary for the person to under- go appropriate training and to improve continuously. The level of awareness of citizens about fires, their occurrence and possible consequences plays a major role in taking preventive measures to prevent such a fire (Cvetković & Filipović, 2018). A survey conducted on the work and efficiency of the security service (Chin- wokwu, 2018) showed that 78.6% of re- spondents confirm that security officers react quickly to disasters, while 21.4% of respondents disagree with that. In case of fires, the speed of reaction is a key fac- tor in reducing the consequences. Giv- en the fact that fire protection is usually entrusted to security officers, the ability to respond, preparedness and competen- cies required must be at a high level. The survey confirms that 71.6% of respond- ents believe that the security service has the ability to respond to calls in disasters (Chinwokwu, 2018). The research found that a very small number of respond- ents consider themselves unprepared for various catastrophes, and it is similar to the attitudes of respondents about the preparedness of their colleagues, who,

according to their belief, are usually well prepared for disasters. This brings us to the question that could be explored fur- ther, whether security officers are overes- timated in the eyes of others or whether security officers underestimate their abil- ity and preparedness. The role of security officers in disaster conditions is poorly and insufficiently researched phenome- non, bearing in mind that the private se- curity sector has a long history (Janković & Cvetković, 2020; Janković et al., 2021). However, in recent years, more and more researchers have been attracted to this field of studies, which gives us hope that in the future this area will be researched more profoundly and published in sci- entific papers. Except in the field of sci- ence, it is necessary to increase aware- ness of the importance of protection and focus on reducing the large fluctuation of personnel within the private securi- ty activities. Reducing the fluctuation of security officers would directly affect the improvement of their readiness, because the training process would not only be repeated, but would also mean an up- grade of the acquired knowledge. For such an endeavour, it is necessary to in- crease the standards of employees in the private security industry. The continuous increase in the number and intensity of consequences caused by fires imposes the need for immediate improvement of the fire protection system on the territo- ry of the Republic of Serbia (Cvetković, 2019). Security officers who very often appear in this role must be able to re- spond to the task and be prepared to act in the event of a large fire. That is why trainings, exercises, and various types of education are necessary in order for the officer to prepare for the potential situ- ation and thus influence the fire protec- tion, and the direct reduction of conse- quences (Xin & Huang, 2013). Fires are

unpredictable, and each fire has its own characteristics, but taking exercises can reduce panic and create the sense of con- fidence in security officers to justify the trust placed in them (Istre et al., 2002).

The conducted research also has its lim- itations, which are reflected in the sub-

jective assessment of the respondents in terms of many aspects of the research without objective testing that would be even more realistic; insufficient interest of the respondents for the most objec- tive assessment of the situation on the ground; management pressures to better present the situation on the ground, etc.

CONCLUSION

Starting from the subject of research, the paper identifies numerous results that largely represent the current situation in terms of private security prepared- ness for disasters caused by fire. It was found that certain factors greatly affect the level of preparedness, while on the other hand some factors do not have such an impact. Certainly, the level of preparedness that was determined after the research indicates a sufficient level of knowledge of security procedures and

how to react in such situations. However, it is necessary to improve the legislation that would further accelerate the imple- mentation of trainings and exercises that raise the level of operability of members of such services. In future research, it is necessary to conduct tests in order to as- sess the real situation on the ground in the most impartial and objective way in terms of knowledge, risk perception and preparedness for such situations.

REFERENCES

Aleksandrina, M., Budiarti, D., Yu, Z., Pasha, F., & Shaw, R. (2019). Governmen- tal incentivization for SMEs’ engagement in disaster resilience in Southeast Asia. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 1(1), 32–50. http://dx.doi. org/10.18485/ijdrm.2019.1.1.2

Al-ramlawi, A. H., El-Mougher, M. M., & Al-Agha, M. R. (2020). The role of Al-Shi- fa Medical Complex administration in evacuation & sheltering planning. Interna- tional Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 2(2), 19-36. https://doi.org/10.18485/ ijdrm.2020.2.2.2

Andrews, R., Ashworth, R., & Meier, K. J. (2014). Representative bureaucracy and fire service performance. International Public Management Journal, 17(1), 1–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10967494.2014.874253

Bojičić, N. (2013). Funding of the protection and rescue system in the Republic of Serbia. NBP – Journal of Criminalistics and Law, 18(1), 129–143.

Busch, N. E., & Givens, A. D. (2013). Achieving resilience in disaster management: The role of public-private partnerships. Journal of Strategic Security, 6(2), 1–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.6.2.1

NBP • Journal of Criminalistics and Law Vol. 26, No. 1

Chien, S.-W., & Wu, G.-Y. (2008). The strategies of fire prevention on residen- tial fire in Taipei. Fire Safety Journal, 43(1), 71–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fire- saf.2007.04.004

Chinwokwu, E. C. (2018). An assessment of the relationship between private se- curity companies and the police in crime prevention in Lagos Metropolis, Nige- ria. International Journal of Police Science & Management, 20(1), 80–93. https://doi. org/10.1177/2F1461355718756413

Coar, M., Garlock, M., & Elhami Khorasani, N. (2020). Effects of water network de- pendency on the electric network for post-earthquake fire suppression. Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure, 5(5), 269–288. https://doi.org/10.1080/23789689.2018.

1563408

Craighead, G. (2009). High-rise security and fire life safety. Butterworth-Heinemann.

Crosby, E. U. (1905). Fire prevention. The Annals of the American Academy of Polit- ical and Social Science, 26(2), 224–238.

Cvetković, V. (2016a). Influence of employment status on citizen preparedness for response to natural disasasters. NBP – Journal of Criminalistics and Law, 21(2), 46–

95. http://dx.doi.org/10.5937/nbp1602049C

Cvetković, V. (2016b). Uticaj demografskih, socio-ekonomskih i psiholoških faktora na preduzimanje preventivnih mera. Kultura polisa, 13(32), 393–404.

Cvetkovic, V. M. (2019). Risk perception of building fires in Belgrade. Interna- tional Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 1(1), 81–91. https://doi.org/10.18485/ ijdrm.2019.1.1.5

Cvetković, V., & Filipović, M. (2018). Ispitivanje percepcije rizika o požarima u stambenim objektima: demografski i socio-ekonomski faktori uticaja. Vojno delo, 70(5), 82–98. https://doi.org/10.5937/vojdelo1805082C

Cvetković, V., & Gačić, J. (2017). Fires as threatening security phenomenon: Factors of influence on knowledge about fires. In I. Nadj (Ed.), 10th International scientific conference “Crisis management days”: Book of papers (pp. 326–336). University of Applied Sciences.

Cvetković, V., & Janković, B. (2020). Private security preparedness for disasters caused by natural and anthropogenic hazards. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 2(1), 23–33. https://doi.org/10.18485/ijdrm.2020.2.1.3

Cvetković, V., Giulia, R., Ocal, A., Filipović, M., Janković, B., & Eric, N. (2018). Chil- drens and youths’ knowledge on forest fires: Discrepancies between basic perceptions and reality. Vojno delo, 70(1), 171–185. https://doi.org/10.5937/vojdelo1801171C

Cvetković, V., Nikolić, N., Nenadić, R. U., Ocal, A., & Zečević, M. (2020). Prepar- edness and preventive behaviors for a pandemic disaster caused by COVID-19 in Serbia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(11), 4124. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17114124

Daane, S. P., & Toth, B. A. (2005). Fire in the operating room: principles and preven- tion. Plastic and reconstructive surgery, 115(5), 73e-75e. https://doi.org/10.1097/01. prs.0000157015.82342.21

De Wit, R. A. C., & Helsloot, I. (2021). Public perception in regard to fire service in the Netherlands. 210416-008641. Fire Safety Journal, 122, 103343. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2021.103343

Diamantes, D., & Jones Jr, A. M. (2020). Principles of fire prevention. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Dwyer, E., Pinnock, S., Grégoire, J. M., & Pereira, J. M. C. (2000). Global spatial and temporal distribution of vegetation fire as determined from satellite obser- vations. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 21(6–7), 1289–1302. https://doi. org/10.1080/014311600210182

Edwards, S. A., & Heiduk, F. (2015). Hazy days: Forest fires and the politics of envi- ronmental security in Indonesia. Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, 34(3), 65–94. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F186810341503400303

Fahy, R., & Norton, A. (1989). How being poor affects fire risks. Fire Journal (Bos- ton, MA), 83(1), 29–36.

Fan, Y.-J., Zhao, Y.-Y., Hu, X.-M., Wu, M.-Y., & Xue, D. (2020). A novel fire preven- tion and control plastogel to inhibit spontaneous combustion of coal: Its charac- teristics and engineering applications. Fuel, 263, 116693. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. fuel.2019.116693

Fuller, M. (1991). Forest fires: An introduction to wildland fire behavior, management, firefighting, and prevention. John Wiley & Sons.

Gandit, M., Kouabenan, D. R., & Caroly, S. (2009). Road-tunnel fires: Risk percep- tion and management strategies among users. Safety science, 47(1), 105–114. https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2008.01.001

Goyal, N. (2019). Disaster governance and community resilience: The law and the role of SDMAs. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 1(2), 61–75. https://doi.org/10.18485/ijdrm.2019.1.2.5

Gulaid, J. A., Sattin, R. W., & Waxweiler, R. J. (1988). Deaths from residential fires, 1978–1984. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Surveillance Summaries, 37(1), 39–45. http s://www.jstor.org/stable/44784785

Hapgood, R., Kendrick, D., & Marsh, P. (2000). How well do socio-demographic characteristics explain variation in childhood safety practices? Journal of Public Health, 22(3), 307–311. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/22.3.307

Hignett, S., Wolf, L., Taylor, E., & Griffiths, P. (2015). Firefighting to innovation: using human factors and ergonomics to tackle slip, trip, and fall risks in hospitals. Human factors, 57(7), 1195–1207. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0018720815593642

Hussaini, A. (2020). Environmental planning for disaster risk reduction at Kaduna International Airport, Kaduna, Nigeria. International Journal of Disaster Risk Man- agement, 2(1), 35–49. https://doi.org/10.18485/ijdrm.2020.2.1.4

NBP • Journal of Criminalistics and Law Vol. 26, No. 1

Isenberg, D. (2009). Private military contractors and US grand strategy. International Peace Research Institute (PRIO).

Istre, G. R., McCoy, M., Carlin, D. K., & McClain, J. (2002). Residential fire related deaths and injuries among children: Fireplay, smoke alarms, and prevention. Injury Prevention, 8(2), 128–132. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/ip.8.2.128

Janković, B., & Cvetković, M. V. (2020). Public perception of police behaviors in the disaster COVID-19 – the Case of Serbia. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management, 43(6), 979–992. https://doi.org/10.1108/PI- JPSM-05-2020-0072

Janković, B., Cvetković, V. M., & Ivanov, A. (2019). Perceptions of private security: A case of students from Serbia and North Macedonia. NBP – Journal of Criminalistics and Law, 24(3), 59–72. https://doi.org/10.5937/nabepo24-23302

Janković, B., Cvetković, V., Milojević, S., & Ivanović, Z. (2021). Relations between police and private security officers: A case study of Serbia. Security Journal. https:// doi.org/10.1057/s41284-021-00289-z

Kaur, B. (2020). Disasters and exemplified vulnerabilities in a cramped public health infrastructure in India. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 2(1), 15–

22. https://doi.org/10.18485/ijdrm.2020.2.1.2

Kendrick, D. (1994). Children’s safety in the home: parents’ possession and percep- tions of the importance of safety equipment. Public Health, 108(1), 21–25. https:// doi.org/10.1016/s0033-3506(05)80031-9

Kendrick, D., Young, B., Mason-Jones, A. J., Ilyas, N., Achana, F. A., Cooper, N. J., Hubbard, S. J., Sutton, A. J., Smith, S., & Wynn, P. (2013). Home safety education and provision of safety equipment for injury prevention. Evidence-Based Child Health: A Cochrane Review Journal, 8(3), 761–939. https://doi.org/10.1002/ebch.1911

Khan, M. S. A. (2008). Disaster preparedness for sustainable development in Bang- ladesh. Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal, 17(5), 662– 671. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09653560810918667

Kihila, J. M. (2017). Fire disaster preparedness and situational analysis in higher learning institutions of Tanzania. Jàmbá: Journal of Disaster Risk Studies, 9(1), 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/jamba.v9i1.311

Kinateder, M., Ronchi, E., Nilsson, D., Kobes, M., Müller, M., Pauli, P., & Mühl- berger, A. (2014, January). Virtual reality for fire evacuation research [Conference paper]. 1st Complex Events and Information Modelling at the Federated Confer- ence on Computer Science and Information System, Warsaw, Poland. http://dx.doi. org/10.13140/2.1.3380.9284

Knuth, D., Schulz, S., Kietzmann, D., Stumpf, K., & Schmidt, S. (2017). Better safe than sorry: Emergency knowledge and preparedness in the German popula- tion. Fire Safety Journal, 93, 98–101. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fire- saf.2017.08.003

Kumar, S., & Rao, C. V. S. K. (1995). Fire load in residential buildings. Building and Environment, 30(2), 299–305. https://doi.org/10.1016/0360-1323(94)00043-R

Kumar, T. A., & Newport, J. K. (2007). Institutional preparedness and sus- tainability of micro finance institutions during post disaster scenario. Disas- ter Prevention Management: An International Journal, 16(1), 21–32. https://doi. org/10.1108/09653560710729785

Kumiko, F., & Shaw, R. (2019). Preparing international joint project: Use of Japanese flood hazard map in Bangladesh. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 1(1), 62–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.18485/ijdrm.2019.1.1.4

Lambert, K., Merci, B., Gryspeert, C., & Jekovec, N. (2021). Search & rescue opera- tions during interior firefighting: A study into crawling speeds. Fire Safety Journal, 121, 103269. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2020.103269

Mahoney, E. J., Harrington, D. T., Biffl, W. L., Metzger, J., Oka, T., & Cioffi, W.

G. (2005). Lessons learned from a nightclub fire: Institutional disaster prepar- edness. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, 58(3), 487–491. https://doi. org/10.1097/01.ta.0000153939.17932.e7

Mallonee, S., Istre, G. R., Rosenberg, M., Reddish-Douglas, M., Jordan, F., Silver- stein, P., & Tunell, W. (1996). Surveillance and prevention of residential-fire in- juries. New England Journal of Medicine, 335(1), 27–31. https://doi.org/10.1056/ nejm199607043350106

Marshall, S. W., Runyan, C. W., Bangdiwala, S. I., Linzer, M. A., Sacks, J. J., & Butts, J.

D. (1998). Fatal residential fires: Who dies and who survives? Jama, 279(20), 1633– 1637. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.279.20.1633

Martell, D. L. (2015). A review of recent forest and wildland fire management deci- sion support systems research. Current Forestry Reports, 1(2), 128–137. https://doi. org/10.1007/s40725-015-0011-y

Menković, L., Košćal, M., Milivojević, M., & Đokić, M. (2018). Morphostructure re- lations on the territory of the Republic of Serbia. Glasnik Srpskog geografskog drust- va, 98(2), 1–28. https://doi.org/10.2298/GSGD1802001M

Merino, L., Caballero, F., Martínez-de Dios, J. R., Ferruz, J., & Ollero, A. (2006). A co- operative perception system for multiple UAVs: Application to automatic detection of forest fires. Journal of Field Robotics, 23(3–4), 165–184. https://doi.org/10.1002/ rob.20108

Metallinou, M.-M. (2020). Emergence of and learning processes in a civic group resuming prescribed burning in Norway. Sustainability, 12(14), 5668. https://doi. org/10.3390/su12145668

Milen, D. (2009). The ability of firefighting personnel to cope with stress. Journal of Social Change, 3(1), 38–56.

Milojević, S., Janković, B., & Cvetković, V. (2015). Prediction model of effective studies at the Academy of Criminalistics and Police Studies. NBP – Journal of Crim- inalistics and Law, 20(1), 135–149. http://dx.doi.org/10.5937/NBP1501135M

NBP • Journal of Criminalistics and Law Vol. 26, No. 1

Milošević, M. (2006). Fizičko-tehničko obezbeđenje i protivpožarna zaštita. Glosarijum.

Mulvaney, C., & Kendrick, D. (2004). Engagement in safety practices to prevent home injuries in preschool children among white and non-white ethnic minority families. Injury Prevention, 10(6), 375–378. https://doi.org/10.1136/ip.2004.005397

Mumović, N., & Cvetković, V. M. (2019). Činioci uticaja na donošenje odluka o sprovođenju evakuacije u uslovima katastrofa izazvanih požarima u stamben- im objektima – studija slučaja Beograda. Vojno delo, 71(7), 142–163. https://doi. org/10.5937/vojdelo1907142M

Murphy, G. R. F., & Foot, C. (2011). ICU fire evacuation preparedness in London: A cross-sectional study. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 106(5), 695–698. https://doi. org/10.1093/bja/aer033

Nilson, F., & Bonander, C. (2020). Household fire protection practices in relation to socio-demographic characteristics: Evidence from a Swedish national survey. Fire Technology, 56(3), 1077–1098. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10694-019-00921-w

Öcal, A., Cvetković, V. M., Baytiyeh, H., Tedim, F. M. S., & Zečević, M. (2020). Pub- lic reactions to the disaster COVID-19: A comparative study in Italy, Lebanon, Por- tugal, and Serbia. Geomatics, Natural Hazards and Risk, 11(1), 1864–1885. https:// doi.org/10.1080/19475705.2020.1811405

Olawuni, P., Olowoporoku, O., & Daramola, O. (2020). Determinants of residents’ participation in disaster risk management in Lagos Metropolis Nigeria. Interna- tional Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 2(2), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.18485/ ijdrm.2020.2.2.1

Ozmen, F. (2006). The level of preparedness of the schools for disasters from the as- pect of the school principals. Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal, 15(3), 383–395. https://doi.org/10.1108/09653560610669873

Raković, J., & Jakovlјević, V. (2011). Prostorno i urbanističko planiranje u funkciji zaštite od požara u urbanim sredinama [Spatial and urban planning in the function of fire protection in urban areas]. Godišnjak Fakulteta bezbednosti, 227–239.

Rhodes, A. (2011). Opinion: ready or not?: Can community education increase householder preparedness for bushfire? Australian Journal of Emergency Manage- ment, 26(2), 6–10.

Rohrmann, B. (1995). Effective risk communication for fire preparedness: A con- ceptual framework. Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 10(3), 42–46.

Runefors, M., Jonsson, A., & Bonander, C. (2021). Factors contributing to survival and evacuation in residential fires involving older adults in Sweden. Fire Safety Jour- nal, 122, 103354. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2021.103354

Salmon, L. (2004). Fire in the OR – Prevention and preparedness. AORN Journal, 80(1), 41–54. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/S0001-2092(06)60842-9

Schulz, S., & Yeung, C. (2008). Private military and security companies and gender. DCAF.

Setyawan, H., Nugraheni, A. M., Haryati, S., Qadrijati, I., Fajariani, R., Wardani,

T. L., Atmojo, T. B., & Sjarifah, I. (2021). The correlation of fire knowledge toward disasters response and preparedness practice among hospital nurse Klaten Central Java, Indonesia. IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci., 724, 01204. https://iopscience. iop.org/journal/1755-1315

Silva, J. F., Almeida, J. E., Rossetti, R. J. F., & Coelho, A. L. (2013, May). A serious game for EVAcuation training [Conference paper]. IEEE 2nd International Confer- ence on Serious Games and Applications for Health, Vilamoura, Portugal. http:// dx.doi.org/10.1109/SeGAH.2013.6665302

Slovic, P. (1987). Perception of risk. Science, 236(4799), 280–285. SouthwickJr,L.,&Butler,R.J.(1985).Firedepartmentdemandandsupplyinlargecities.

Applied Economics, 17(6), 1043–1064. https://doi.org/10.1080/00036848500000066

Steen-Hansen, A., Storesund, K., & Sesseng, C. (2021). Learning from fire inves- tigations and research – A Norwegian perspective on moving from a reactive to a proactive fire safety management. Fire Safety Journal, 120, 103047. https://doi.org/ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2020.103047

Stumpf, K., Knuth, D., Kietzmann, D., & Schmidt, S. (2017). Adoption of fire pre- vention measures: Predictors in a representative German sample. Safety Science, 94, 94–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2016.12.023

Sturtevant, V., & McCaffrey, S. (2006). Encouraging wildland fire preparedness: Lessons learned from three wildfire education programs. In S. M. McCaffr (Ed.), The public and wildland fire management: Social science findings for managers (pp. 125–136). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service

Sund, B., & Jaldell, H. (2018). Security officers responding to residential fire alarms: Estimating the effect on survival and property damage. Fire Safety Journal, 97, 1–11. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2018.01.008

Taylor, J. G., & Daniel, T. C. (1984). Prescribed fire: Public education and percep- tion. Journal of Forestry, 82(6), 361–365. https://doi.org/10.1093/jof/82.6.361

Useem, M., Cook, J. R., & Sutton, L. (2005). Developing leaders for decision making under stress: Wildland firefighters in the South Canyon Fire and its aftermath. Acad- emy of Management Learning & Education, 4(4), 461–485. https://journals.aom.org/ doi/10.5465/amle.2005.19086788#

Vraćević, N., & Cvetković, V. (2019). Privantne vojne kompanije u modernom dobu.

Vojno delo, 71(2), 42–54. https://doi.org/10.5937/vojdelo1902042V

Warda, L. J., & Ballesteros, M. F. (2008). Interventions to prevent residential fire in- jury. In L. Doll, S. Bonzo, D. Sleet, J. Mercy, & E. N. Haas (Eds.), Handbook of injury and violence prevention (pp. 97–116). Springer.

Xin, J., & Huang, C. (2013). Fire risk analysis of residential buildings based on sce- nario clusters and its application in fire risk management. Fire Safety Journal, 62, 72–78. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2013.09.022

NBP • Journal of Criminalistics and Law Vol. 26, No. 1

Xin, J., & Huang, C. F. (2014). Fire risk assessment of residential buildings based on fire statistics from China. Fire Technology, 50(5), 1147–1161. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s10694-013-0327-8

Xuesong, G., & Kapucu, N. (2019). Examining stakeholder participation in social stability risk assessment for mega projects using network analysis. Internation- al Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 1(1), 1–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.18485/ ijdrm.2019.1.1.1

Zamarreño-Aramendia, G., Cristòfol, F. J., de-San-Eugenio-Vela, J., & Ginesta, X. (2020). Social-media analysis for disaster prevention: Forest fire in Artenara and Valleseco, Canary Islands. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 6(4), 169. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc6040169

Zhao, C. M., Lo, S. M., Zhang, S. P., & Liu, M. (2009). A post-fire survey on the pre-evacuation human behavior. Fire Technology, 45(1), 71–95. https://doi. org/10.1007/s10694-007-0040-6

I General part

APPENDIX

Questionnaire

Your gender: a) male b) female.
Circle the age group you belong to: a) 18-40 years; b) 41-60 years; v) over 60 years.
The level of your education is: a) elementary school; b) high school; v) higher school; g) faculty; d) postgraduate studies.
What’s your marital status: a) single; b) in a relationship; v) engaged; g) married; d) divorced; j) widower.
Your work experience in the security service: a) up to 5 years; b) 5-10 years;

v) over 10 years.

II Questions

Have you ever participated in extinguishing the fire?
Yes No
Do you think that there is a risk of fire in your workplace?
Yes No
Is there a fire extinguisher in your workplace?
Yes No
Did you have the opportunity to use a fire extinguisher?
Yes No
Are you familiar with the proper use of fire extinguisher?
Yes No
Did you have the opportunity to use the fire hydrant grid?
Yes No
Are you familiar with combustion processes?
Yes No
Are you familiar with the methods of extinguishing fire?
Yes No
Are you aware of the preventive measures that have been taken at your work- place?
Yes No
Are there emergency procedures in your workplace?
Yes No
Are you familiar with the guidelines on how to act in case of activation of the fire alarm?
Yes No
Are you familiar with the fire emergency action plan?
Yes No
Are you familiar with the evacuation plan?

Yes No

NBP • Journal of Criminalistics and Law Vol. 26, No. 1
Are the fire emergency evacuation exercises being carried out at your work- place?
Yes No
Evaluate the level of preparedness of the facility you are working at.
1 2 3 4 5
Evaluate the level of your personal preparedness.
1 2 3 4 5
Evaluate the level of preparedness of the colleagues you work with.
1 2 3 4 5
Estimate the probability of fire occurrence at your workplace within the next 5 years.
1 2 3 4 5
In your opinion, what is the most probable consequence of the fire?
1. Material consequences
2. Loss of life
3. Injuries
4. Environmental consequences
5. No consequences
In your opinion, what is the correct procedure in case of activation of the fire alarm control panel?
1. Leave the workplace.
2. Wait for the alarm to go off.
3. Read the information on the control panel.
4. Call the fire department immediately.
5. Call the head of the security department.
Specify the legal period for retesting fire extinguishers.
1. 3 months
2. 6 months
3. 9 months
4. 12 months
5. Never
The fire department’s phone number is (write online) .
Specify the type of fire what can be extinguished with a fire extinguisher.
1. Wildfire
2. Any fire
3. Only fire at the early stages
4. Fire at the oil facility inflamed
5. I am not sure.
What would you use to put out the fire on an electrical installation?
1. Powder
2. Foam
3. Water
4. Sand
5. I am not sure.
Did you attend work-life training on safety and health?
Yes No
I have a license to assess risk in the protection of persons, property, and business.
Yes No
I have a license to perform the basic tasks of a security officer – without weapons.
Yes No
I have a license to perform specialist tasks of security officers with weapons.
Yes No
I have a license to perform technical protection system planning operations.
Yes No
I have a license to perform technical protection activities.
Yes No
I have a certificate of passed exam in the area of fire protection.

Yes No

NBP • Journal of Criminalistics and Law Vol. 26, No. 1

Prof. Dr. Vladimir M. Cvetković

Vladimir M. Cvetković – Disaster Risk, Emergency Management, Safety and Security

Private security preparedness for disasters caused by fires

1Vladimir Cvetković, 2Slavica Pavlović, 3Bojan D. Janković1

Figure 1. Research design

Table 1. Sample structure (N = 300)

Figure 2. Respondents’ answers regarding knowledge of fire response procedures

Figure 3. Respondents’ answers regarding probability of fire occurrence according to years of work experience

Table 2. Respondents’ answers regarding the correct procedure in case of activation of the fire alarm control panel

Table 3. Respondents’ answers regarding firefighting in electrical installations

Table 4. Overview of license holders – members of the private security

Figure 4. Percentage distribution of attitudes regarding the assessment of personal preparedness in relation to the conducted evacuation exercises

Table 5. Results of one-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) of different education groups and subscales of education, preparedness and risk perception (N = 300)

I General part

II Questions

By Urednik

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

1Vladimir Cvetković, 2Slavica Pavlović, 3Bojan D. Janković1

Figure 1. Research design

Table 1. Sample structure (N = 300)

Figure 2. Respondents’ answers regarding knowledge of fire response procedures

Figure 3. Respondents’ answers regarding probability of fire occurrence according to years of work experience

Table 2. Respondents’ answers regarding the correct procedure in case of activation of the fire alarm control panel

Table 3. Respondents’ answers regarding firefighting in electrical installations

Table 4. Overview of license holders – members of the private security

Figure 4. Percentage distribution of attitudes regarding the assessment of personal preparedness in relation to the conducted evacuation exercises

Table 5. Results of one-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) of different education groups and subscales of education, preparedness and risk perception (N = 300)

I General part

II Questions

By Urednik

You might also like:

Engaged as a professor in the new international master’s program International Disaster Management and Civil Protection at the University of Vienna

The Fourth Memorial Scientific and Professional Conference “Predrag Marić

Disaster Risk Management: Theory, Concepts and Methods has come off the press

Leave a Reply Cancel reply