Peace of Mind for Everyone on Campus

Victor Furtado, Director of Security, Transportation, & Emergency Operations at NewBridge on the Charles in Dedham, has worked in security for more than 18 years, with 9 of those years at the NewBridge campus. We talked with Victor about all that he and his team of 30 do to ensure the safety of its residents.

Q. Can you tell us about your background, and describe the training you and your team receive?

A. Everyone is “first-responder trained.” There are dispatchers in the control room 24/7 monitoring the campus. We have EMTs on duty. Everyone is CPR-trained, and we also do a lot of training around crisis prevention and intervention, with an emphasis on the “prevention.” What makes us unique is that we emphasize empathy and good listening skills here.

Q. How does the security team respond to emergencies?

A. Whenever there is an emergency situation and a resident dials 911, we respond immediately. If residents use their cell phones to dial 911, the Dedham fire and police departments will respond. We have a longstanding working relationship with the Dedham fire and police departments, and they will immediately let us know about the emergency. If there is a fire here, for example, they get notified right away, too. We also partner with NewBridge Engineering and Housekeeping, too, to alert us on anything that might be an issue, such as a fire or even an icy sidewalk—anything security, safety, or risk-related.

Falls are a very common problem, a reality for many older adults. We specialize in two-person assists, with a quick response, and a follow-up with how to avoid falls in the future. My team utilize empathy. They try to be very thoughtful, and many of them know the baselines of our residents.

Q. Can you describe some of the security challenges that are unique to protecting older adults?

A. The most unique component is the sensitivity to the resident’s needs, along with being aware of the family dynamics. Sometimes it’s hard for adult children to understand their parents’ needs are changing. We are good listeners, and we always make sure everyone is heard and respected.

Q. Can you talk about the PERS (Personal Emergency Response System) pendants? Are these useful?

A. Yes. These are great for peace of mind. Our security team produces these for a one-time fee for NewBridge residents. When pressed, there is a phone call to the resident and an alert to our dispatcher, which tells us the person’s location. It also goes over all our radios so the security personnel closest can respond quickly.

Q. Is there a process in place for communication when a resident has an emergency situation?

A. If there is a spouse, we allow the couple to decide what other family members they want to contact. If there isn’t a spouse, there is a phone call to the emergency contact listed for the resident.

Q. Is there anything else you’d like to alert residents to, or their adult children?

A. The most important thing is: “If you see something, please say something.”

For security concerns or questions, please contact Victor Furtado at VictorFurtado@hsl.harvard.edu or 781-234-9252.