About Emergency Preparedness
It’s time to change the way California thinks about disaster response. The COVID-19 pandemic showed that hospitals can quickly mobilize to provide flexible approaches to patient care during a disaster. The state must draw upon these lessons to prepare differently so the next crisis will be less severe. Given California’s size and complexity, the health care disaster response system of the future must be nimble enough to respond to any catastrophe. View more information on hospital disaster preparedness.
Active Shooter Resources for Hospitals
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 Planning and Response in a Health Care Setting
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.
Safety and Security Assessment, Planning and Training Requirements
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.
Active Shooter Awareness, Response and Survival Training
2021 Virtual Disaster Conference
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.
Active Shooter Preparation for Hospitals
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.
Protection Dogs in Hospitals for Security
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.
When Violence is an Everyday Occurrence for Hospital Staff
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.
Active Shooter Training: Exercise Coordination with Law Enforcement and Fire Department Response
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.
Report: Post-Incident Recovery Considerations for Hospitals
A comprehensive guide outlining the process and requirements for hospitals seeking reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the Alternative Care Site (ACS) program.
Understanding the Stafford Act
A comprehensive guide outlining the process and requirements for hospitals seeking reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the Alternative Care Site (ACS) program.