Security Corporate Spotlight - David Marquez
Let us introduce to you, our corporate spotlight, David Marquez of Parrish Medical. With over 25 years in the private security community and after a short-lived retirement, David moved to Florida for personal reasons (and of course the weather) and re-entered the industry as the Safety and Security Manager for Parrish Medical in Brevard County, Florida. We recently took time to talk to David about the security industry and his role with Parrish Medial and how training affects our industry. Here are the highlights of our conversation:
Tell us about your company and your role within the organization. As the Safety and Security Manager, David was initially hired to educate employees on Emergency Medical Response training, security, and teamwork dynamics. Later, he realized that with “my years of experience within the private sector, I could assist those seeking to enter the security field and that I can, in fact, make a difference, especially during the our present time of uncertainty and fear.”
With his training, Marquez educates his staff by stating that “a well trained officer who can de-escalate a crisis and ensure the safety of their organization and the community they service is an asset to any organization who seriously wants to provide the best security services possible.”
What are the largest challenges you currently face in your job today? During our conversation with Marquez, he stated that the greatest challenge we face today within the healthcare security program involves our present social uncertainty. David mentioned that “people are afraid when they come to a medical facility or clinic and people are afraid to go shopping, not just because of COVID, but because of criminal acts we see today.”
David gave hope as well by stating that as we find our way to the new norm, people want to see a security presence. A team of alert, well organized, and approachable officers who want to make a difference for all they encounter.
How has Covid-19 impacted your ability to perform your job? As we discussed the impact of COVID-19, David claimed, “COVID-19 has impacted everything we see today and continues to do so today.” Furthermore, Marquez stated, that as a security professional, we need to educate ourselves, understand that this is an enemy we cannot see, which means we need to constantly evolve to the challenges we face.
Has the current economic environment impacted your ability to find, on-board and train new staff? In terms of staffing, David commented, that “every aspect of my profession has been impacted with respect to our economic environment.” Marquez commented that it has become a challenge to find quality candidates with experience or candidates who want to learn the trade.
What management differentiators have you engaged in to retain talented security officers? To adapt, David noted that proactive management and resource allocations are essential to help keep up with the never-ending changes in laws, regulations, and threats. He always maintains that an adequate staff is well trained, with continued education and advancement. Marquez went on to comment that, “the differentiators are that we are all one team.” As a team, David emphasized that his staff has one common goal, and that goal is to make a difference and to ensure that we provide a program were the public feel safe.
How do you see the security industry changing in the next ten years? As for the next 10 years, David commented, that “with todays ever-increasing global and home grown threats to our hospitals, department stores, and organizations, that span from unauthorized access, active shooter, and workplace violence, in addition to our economic and law enforcement instability, it is my belief that within the next 10 years, the security industry will impact the safety and security within society, becoming more of an essential need and expectation for any organization that believes in maintaining a safe and secure environment.”
You have several options for online training, why did you choose NITA for your staff? David stated that, “when it came to training my staff, I wanted to ensure the team was given quality information that was simple to understand, easy to operate, cost effective, and a program that will provide measurable results.”
What about NITA’s training was most beneficial to you? Marquez went on to note that being a small hospital, funds are not abundant, so what made NITA’s training most beneficial was the price and the excellent content, which meant his staff learned what they needed to understand.
Would you recommend NITA to other companies in the industry? When talking about NITA, David stated, “ it’s not if I would recommend NITA, but rather I do recommend this program to companies within the industry because your team will not only learn, but have real life experience within the context of the information they are learning, which means they can apply what they have learned immediately after certification.”
Our enrollment counselors are here to answer any questions you might have about our state- and board-approved status, pre-licensing training, or professional development programs.
