Recent active shooter attacks have illustrated the importance of procedures, systems, and training designed to mitigate the risks from active shooters. These mitigation recommendations are based on analysis of past active shooter attacks, and careful review of previous studies. These mitigation recommendations, which are tailored to building security personnel, are detailed in Part II of this book.
All employees can help prevent and prepare for potential active shooter situations. This course provides guidance to individuals, including managers and employees, so that they can prepare to respond to an active shooter situation.
The City of Houston produced a six-minute, graphic video on what to do when encountering an active shooter. The video is entitled “Run-Hide-Fight: Surviving an Active Shooter Event” and was produced with a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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.
An emergency event which threatens the safety of patients, employees, staff, visitors and/or hospital operations may require the lockdown of the Hospital. This sample lockdown guidance document covers entry and exit considerations and also includes an event decision-making tree.
National Academy of Medicine Discussion Paper Terrorist attacks have a profound emotional and physical effect on a community. While preventing these attacks would be preferred, agencies must work swiftly and cohesively to improve patient outcome when an attack does occur. Read full discussion paper.
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.
Developed by UC San Diego Health System, this interactive tabletop exercise aims to enhance hospital preparedness for potential active shooter incidents. The exercise engages participants in a realistic scenario that promotes strategic discussions and decision-making regarding roles, communication strategies, and response protocols. Outcomes include building collaboration among various departments, highlighting the importance of coordinated responses […]
In the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut shooting, CHA released the Hospital Code Silver Activation Active Shooter Planning Checklist to help hospitals review and develop active shooter response plans. The tool was developed with key advisement from agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, and the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety.
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.