Most of us walk into work every day without thinking twice about safety. We badge in, grab coffee, head to meetings or job sites and move through our routines assuming everything around us is operating the way it should.
What many employees may not realize is there is an entire team working quietly behind the scenes to make sure of that.
For Senior Console Operator Adrienne Watson, security at Central Alabama Water (CAW) is far more than watching cameras or responding to alarms. It is about protecting people, preserving operations and making sure employees and customers return home safely each day.
“We’re here to maintain a safe, ready and informed environment,” Watson said.
After spending time with Watson and the security team, one thing becomes very clear: they truly are CAW’s guardian angels.
The amount of responsibility carried by this team is incredible. They monitor facilities across six counties, prepare emergency response plans, track severe weather and respond to potential threats before most employees even know something happened.
“Our job is to ensure those events don’t unfold,” Watson said. “We mitigate risk, eliminate the possibility of things happening or nip it in the bud before it completely unravels.”
And most of the time, employees never see it.
That is intentional.
“We like you being completely oblivious to danger,” Watson said with a laugh.
The reality is security is constantly moving behind the scenes. While employees are focused on their day-to-day work, the security team is watching body language in the lobby, assessing risks and communicating with departments across the organization. Watson compared the role to ducks gliding across water.
“We always are very even-keeled and calm,” Watson said. “But underneath the water, our feet are constantly moving.”
That image perfectly describes the work happening behind the scenes every single day at CAW.
Corporate Security Manager Anthony Hazel said the mission of the team goes beyond simply protecting facilities.
“Our security team is the backbone of everything we do at CAW,” Hazel said. “Day and night, we stand watch over our people, our property and our assets, not out of obligation, but out of genuine dedication to the communities we serve.”
Hazel said the team seeks to help create an environment where employees and customers can feel safe every day.
“Our professionalism, vigilance and integrity make it possible for everyone here to work, conduct business, thrive and feel safe,” Hazel said. “I do not take that commitment lightly, and neither do they. We are not just a team, we are the first line of trust and protection.”
“We are the anchor,” Watson added. “We’re the voice of reason, the voice of calm.”
What stood out most during the conversation was the level of care behind the role. Security is not just about protocols or procedures. It is about people.
There is comfort in knowing people like Adrienne Watson, Anthony Hazel and the entire CAW security team are always watching over this organization, often without recognition and without anyone realizing just how much they handle in a single day.
They are the calm in the chaos, the steady voice during uncertainty and the reason so many of us get to work in peace without ever realizing what was prevented behind the scenes.
Thank you to the Central Alabama Water Security Team — our guardian angels.
