This instructive video from the US Department of Homeland Security demonstrates possible actions to take if confronted with an active shooter scenario. The video reviews the choices of evacuating, hiding, or, as an option of last resort, challenging the shooter. The video also shows how to assist authorities once law enforcement enters the scene.
The Security and Safety Active Shooter Drill Tool Kit was developed to create greater awareness of workplace violence among hospitals and health care facilities, and to provide the tools necessary for each facility to develop a plan that leads to a safer, more prepared environment.
Violence against hospital employees is a significant issue with the potential for devastating consequences. Active shooter situations can be premeditated or spontaneous, and hospital employees should always maintain situational awareness and vigilance.
Active shooter events in a health care setting present unique challenges: a potentially large vulnerable patient population, hazardous materials (including infectious disease), locked units, special challenges (such as weapons and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines (these machines contain large magnets which can cause issues with firearms, or remove it from the hands of law enforcement), as well as caregivers who can respond to treat victims.
Under California law, all licensed general acute-care hospitals, acute psychiatric hospitals, and specialty hospitals are mandated to conduct an annual security and safety assessment. This assessment is crucial for developing a security plan aimed at safeguarding personnel, patients, and visitors against aggressive or violent behavior.
Emergency management and security officials are increasingly tasked with ways to effectively and safely train hospital workers on how to respond. This presentation discusses new methodologies for tackling the crucial task of training each hospital staff member and department, based on their unique functions within the hospital, as well as with their specific locations on any hospital campus.
2022 Disaster Conference
This active shooter training for hospital settings aims to assist leadership and educators in establishing protocols, training strategies, community assessment of coverage, and developing a recovery response plan.
2022 Disaster Conference
K9s represent an effective way to prevent and reduce hospital violence and increase safety for patients, staff and visitors. This panel discussion explores the pros and cons of using protection dogs in hospitals and/or hospital emergency rooms. Presenters currently work in hospitals using protection dogs or with security companies providing canines for hospital security.
2023 Disaster Conference
Health care workers are particularly at risk of experiencing workplace violence. The range of potential violence is broad and can include simple acts of aggression to significant acts of physical violence. As organizations work to better understand the dynamics of workplace violence, additional attention needs to be paid to the effect acts of workplace violence have on our employees and organizations.
2023 Disaster Conference
Learn how Huntington Hospital, along with law enforcement and fire department partners, quickly and effectively planned not one, but four active shooter training exercises within our facility in just 4 months. Our education department filmed the sessions and interviewed staff to create a training video for those unable to attend, which will be shown during the presentation. We will share lessons learned and highlight how hospital leadership and our planning team worked together to ensure this training was successful for our employees while minimizing impact on hospital operations.