Following emergency events last autumn and this spring, preparedness remains a focus for planners in Southern California and across the country. From 2000 to 2011, there were 154 hospital-related shooting events in the U.S., a 2012 Annals of Emergency Medicine report said. A total of 235 people died or were injured in the incidents, the report added. Research and experience suggest that facilities that have completed training and preparedness will fare better during mass casualty events, said Bryan Warren, former president of the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS).

In 2013, HASC conducted an active shooter response drill with close to 200 members and 25 law enforcement personnel. The drill resulted in an 11-minute video that is still used to teach hospital workers what to do in the unlikely event of an active shooter entering their facility.

HASC also maintains an Active Shooter Drill Materials page on the HASC.org website as an additional resource. The page is a one-stop tool kit containing posters, pocket cards and booklets with easy-to-digest information, along with law enforcement and government studies and threat assessments. In addition, the page provides a link to the Active Shooter Drill 2013 training video.

New this week, the page has added a 10-minute video produced by the MESH Coalition, Inc., a health care preparedness group in Indianapolis, Ind. Titled “Surviving an Active Shooter in a Healthcare Environment,” the resource provides an additional tool for reinforcing the survival strategies of “run, hide and fight.”

“Better preparedness for an emergency event is crucial,” Warren said. “Staff should be taught warning signs, who to call, when to call, etc. Preparation is key to managing any crisis, and it should be an all-hazards approach.”

Contact:
Pat Wall
(213) 538-0715
pwall@hasc.org