Hospital Disaster Preparedness

This US Department of Homeland Security training webinar was created to enhance awareness of, and response to, an active shooter incident.

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.

The following resources have been provided by UCSF Medical Center to assist hospitals in their planning and training for active shooter incidents.

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.

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.