Washington State Security Guard License Practice Exam

You are working alone on a site after hours at a fixed post in the lobby of the building and you have been given strict instructions to not leave the desk unless properly relived. You receive a mechanical alarm. What do you do?

1. Stay at your post and submit an incident report at the end of your shift

2. Immediately attend the mechanical area to determine the cause

3. Contact mechanical personnel for the site and advise them of the alarm

4. Continue to monitor the alarm condition to see if it gets worse

The correct answer is: Contact mechanical personnel for the site and advise them of the alarm

Answer C, "Contact mechanical personnel for the site and advise them of the alarm" is the correct answer because it fulfills both the necessary response to address the alarm and the need to stay at the post as the security guard has been instructed. The security guard’s primary role in this scenario is to protect the property, monitor alarms, and report incidents to the appropriate personnel or authorities. In a case of a mechanical alarm, it is not the responsibility of the security guard to attend to the mechanical area or attempt to fix any potential issues that triggered the alarm. Instead, the appropriate response would be to inform the responsible personnel (such as mechanics or maintenance staff) about the situation, as these individuals have the necessary training and expertise to handle any mechanical issues. This allows the security guard to respond appropriately to the situation while still fulfilling their duty to remain at their post unless properly relieved.