Gun-related violence continues to pose a significant threat to society, with the Gun Violence Archive reporting over 650 mass shootings in 2023. Disturbingly, even institutions dedicated to healing and safeguarding individuals, like hospitals, are not immune to these threats; in fact, they’re uniquely susceptible. Since 2018, more than 100 gun-related incidents have been reported within hospital premises.
These statistics highlight the urgent need for hospitals and healthcare institutions to take action and implement comprehensive approaches. These strategies should integrate both traditional physical protocols that come into play after an event and innovative security measures that leverage technology that is activated prior to an event. By focusing on these proactive and reactive strategies, healthcare organizations can play a crucial role in preventing and mitigating the devastating impact of mass shootings.
Proactive Security Measures in Healthcare
Proactive security measures are focused on preventing gun-related violence. Within healthcare settings, these include preventing unauthorized access to the buildings and conducting background checks on employees who have access to firearms within their scope of work (like security guards). These measures ensure that individuals with potential risk factors are thoroughly vetted before being granted access to healthcare campuses.
Additionally, healthcare facilities can deploy advanced technologies such as AI-powered video analytics and gun-detection systems. These cutting-edge solutions help to identify potential threats in real time, providing intelligent situational awareness to security personnel and first responders. Technologies like these enable proactive intervention, allowing for the prevention or de-escalation of dangerous situations. By investing in these proactive security measures, hospitals create a safer environment and significantly reduce the risk of gun-related incidents. Given the heightened vulnerability of these facilities, particularly due to patients with limited mobility, it becomes imperative to take proactive measures before an event occurs.
Reactive Security Measures in Healthcare
While proactive measures play a critical role in prevention, reactive measures are primarily aimed at addressing the aftermath of gun-related violence. Unfortunately, they are less effective in preventing attacks, because they are specifically designed to swiftly alert security staff about an event after it has occurred.
In healthcare settings, which often encompass large and complex landscapes, with numerous employees and visitors, comprehensive emergency response plans tailored to address gun-related violence must be put in place. These plans typically involve responding to an active shooter situation once the threat has been reported and confirmed, and then addressing the exploited vulnerabilities.
Healthcare facilities should prioritize training personnel in active shooter response protocols to ensure a coordinated response. This includes establishing clear communication protocols for rapid alert dissemination and implementing lockdown procedures to safeguard the well-being of patients, staff, and visitors. It is also important to communicate action plans and conduct training with local law enforcement and 911 dispatch centers. By having robust emergency response plans in place, hospitals can minimize harm and provide the necessary protection in the face of gun-related incidents.
Post-incident reviews should also be conducted, so hospitals can refine their reactive security measures, identify vulnerabilities, and enhance overall preparedness. By continually improving their response protocols, hospitals can better protect lives and minimize the impact of violence when it does occur.
Assessing the Efficacy of Proactive and Reactive Security Measures
Combining a layered security posture of proactive and reactive security measures provides hospitals and healthcare organizations with a holistic approach to preventing and managing gun-related violence. Proactive measures help identify and confirm potential threats, minimize the impact of any incident that may occur, and enhance preparedness through situational awareness. These measures enable timely responses from first responders when incidents occur, facilitating effective intervention and mitigation. Reactive measures, however, are essential for addressing immediate threats and reinforcing security protocols based on lessons learned from past incidents. This cohesive approach allows healthcare organizations to develop a security framework that addresses all stages of a potential security incident.
In the face of escalating nationwide gun-related violence, hospitals are confronted with the unique challenge of providing security measures that ensure patient, staff and visitor safety without creating an unwelcoming or invasive environment. It is crucial to adopt non-invasive technologies and approaches to ensure hospitals remain places of healing rather than resembling prisons or TSA checkpoints. By implementing a comprehensive security strategy that integrates these advanced technologies and robust protocols, healthcare organizations can effectively prevent and mitigate gun-related incidents. Ultimately, by safeguarding their premises, hospitals can play a significant role in promoting safer environments for patients, staff, visitors, and the community at large.
About Dustin Brooks
Dustin Brooks is the Chief Customer Officer & Co-Founder of ZeroEyes, a proactive, human-verified AI gun detection software solution that integrates into existing digital security cameras and helps mitigate mass shootings and gun-related violence by reducing response times, providing actionable intelligence with images and delivering clarity among chaos — ultimately saving lives. Before co-founding ZeroEyes in 2018, Dustin worked at Global Asset Technologies as a Military Instructor developing Navy SEAL candidates.
