Why did we create an active shooter training program for hospitals?
Mass shootings have been on the rise over recent years and no venue is immune from becoming a target and no person is safe from becoming a possible victim. Hospitals around the country constantly train and experience medical emergencies within their walls on a daily basis; however they must enhance their hospital safety plan by training staff on what to do if an active shooter incident occurs
Hospitals are extremely vulnerable to these types of situations, because of the amount of people that enter and leave the hospital on a daily basis. Even with security measures in place, it is nearly impossible to keep unwanted people out because of the commitment to aid and serve the medical needs of the public.
Various studies performed by the US department of Labor, Brown University, and John Hopkins University have exhibited the following data on hospital violence:
- There were over 150 hospital shootings across the United States from 2000-2011.
- During this short time frame, approximately 30 percent of those shootings occurred in emergency rooms.
- These hospital shootings occurred in 40 states and 235 people were injured or died.
- Between 2014-2015, there was a 46% increase in gun violence in hospitals across the United States.
Why Is Active Shooter Training Important for Medical Facilities?
Hospitals and medical facilities do not have the ability to shut down for the day if a violent assailant enters and commits an atrocity. Hospital and medical facility staff have the responsibility of supervised care for septic patients and those patients who are experiencing a life-threatening event such as a heart attack or operating procedure. Due to these challenges, there is a critical need to plan, prepare, and practice for the worst-case scenario.
Studies have indicated that healthcare workers are increasingly at risk for workplace violence. The American College of Emergency Physicians show 60% of all workplace assaults occur in a healthcare facility. Forty-six percent of all violent acts that result in lost work days are committed against registered nurses.
When all preventive measures have been exhausted and a gunman opens fire there needs to be specific training on what to do while there is an active threat moving through the facility.
Hospital staff need to begin triaging and treating the wounded, as well as continue care on the most dependent patients. Ultimately, there needs to be plans in place on how to manage the scene while under attack and also after the threat is neutralized.
What Makes Our Active Shooter Training Program For Hospitals Outstanding?
Guardian Defense can offer on-site assessments and specific hands-on training through our active shooter training for hospitals program to help hospital security teams construct or build upon their existing hospital lockdown procedures.
Guardian Defense has highly trained instructors that will review emergency procedures for hospital staff and then assist in making each individual staff member and the entire hospital a hard target in the event a workplace violence or an active shooter incident occurs through our proven active shooter training concept.