Model “code silver” internal lockdown policy in response to active shooters

Authors

  • Scot Phelps, JD, MPH
  • Robert Russell, BS
  • Garrett Doering, MS

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/ajdm.2007.0023

Keywords:

hospital, physical security, policy, security, violence

Abstract

Hospitals, even five years past the events of September 11, with their unguarded front doors and unlocked patient rooms have conspicuously failed to implement even basic security procedures to protect the society’s most vulnerable against violence. The degree of complacency is so great that even hospitals that have experienced shootings refuse to institute basic security measures such as metal detectors and identification checks. Over the six-month period, from June through December 2006, there were at least eight hospital shootings in the United States and Canada. This article outlines these shootings and presents a model “Code Silver” policy that hospitals can adopt to mitigate some of the risk of internal hospital shootings. Key concepts of the policy include training hospital staff to “shelter in place” during a violent event, marking locked doors, and having hospital security respond in an appropriate manner.

Author Biographies

Scot Phelps, JD, MPH

Paramedic, Associate Professor of Emergency Management at Metropolitan College of New York, and Consultant to the Hudson Valley Regional Resource Center, New York City, New York.

Robert Russell, BS

Director of Security, Orange Regional Medical Center, Goshen, New York.

Garrett Doering, MS

Paramedic; Deputy Director, Hudson Valley Regional Resource Center, Westchester Medical Center; Lecturer, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York.

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Published

05/01/2007

How to Cite

Phelps, JD, MPH, S., R. Russell, BS, and G. Doering, MS. “Model ‘code silver’ Internal Lockdown Policy in Response to Active Shooters”. American Journal of Disaster Medicine, vol. 2, no. 3, May 2007, pp. 143-50, doi:10.5055/ajdm.2007.0023.

Issue

Section

Articles