Learn How to Survive a Shooting Event in a Healthcare Setting
(3/10/2017)
Vice President of Emergency Management, Environment of Care and Safety, Scott Cormier in collaboration with the Healthcare and Public Health Sector Coordinating Council released a new edition of the Active Shooter Planning and Response Guide earlier this year. This new edition brings additional information on warm zone operations providing care in an area wherein a potential threat exists, but it is not direct or immediate, law enforcement tactics, unified command, and psychological support.
Active shooter events in a healthcare 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.
There is no single method to respond to an incident, but prior planning will allow you and your staff to choose the best option during an active shooter situation, with the goal of maximizing lives saved. The best way to save lives is to remove potential targets from the shooter’s vicinity. We address some difficult choices that will need to be made in this document.
Download the guide here.