This is Definitely not Burger King

We get a lot of folks who think they have found the proverbial Shangri La when they hear about gate guarding. They can't wait to get on a gate and start making the big money that had been promised. Unfortunately, for a lot of folks, disillusionment soon follows. I (along with others) have tried to enumerate the reasons folks leave the vocation; mostly to serve as a reminder/warning to those contemplating coming to South Texas. The tolerance of most gate guard companies to bear the complaints of noobs is not one of their hallmarks. You should carefully read up on gate guarding and/or contact folks who are actually doing the work before making any other move. I have always maintained that we were extremely grateful to have found work that actually put food on the table. A year or two of scratching by and living hand to mouth will do that to you. We barely eked out a living as workampers. Every purchase decision was agonizing and balanced against what we would have to give up to acquire the item(s). I had no other income and retirement was a ways off when I embarked on this adventure. If nothing else it has taught me to have an appreciation for the freedom that an extra nickel or two can provide you. That; in a nutshell, is why we have remained in this profession and are grateful for the work. It is also perhaps why, early on in gate guarding, we adopted the motto "If we call you had better answer the phone and come running, because it's urgent or an emergency." Your comfort (or discomfort) is not at the top of the list for most gate guard companies. Most do not have the personnel  to act as your concierge. A lot of them do gate guarding as a secondary operation and their priorities reflect that. If there is any way at all that you can do a little troubleshooting and; even better, minor repairs, you will last a lot longer down here. If you did your research as suggested you should know what to expect in regards to response time and subsequent repair work. Don't misunderstand this as a rebuke: I am merely trying to let you know what to expect. We have been fortunate and had little trouble with our equipment. We have never waited more than twenty four hours for any major/important repair. Unfortunately, that is not the norm in many cases and I have known guards to be without power or water for  good while. Let this serve as a reminder that this is definitely not Burger King and you can't always have things your way.