Be safe, understand the risks of ED shootings, and take steps to prevent them. But if all else fails, RUN, HIDE, and FIGHT!
Dr. Mell is assistant professor of emergency medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and the EMS Medical Director for Iredell County EMS in North Carolina.
References
- Gates DM, C.S. Ross CS, McQueen L. Violence against emergency department workers. J Emerg Med, 31(2006):331–37.
- Ordog GJ, Wasserberger J, Ordog C, Ackroyd G, Atluri S. Weapon carriage among major trauma victims in the emergency department. Acad Emerg Med. 1995 Feb;2(2):109-13; discussion 114.
- Malka ST, Chisholm R, Doehring M, Chisholm C. Weapons retrieved after the implementation of emergency department metal detection. J Emerg Med. 2015 Sep;49(3):355-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2015.04.020. Epub 2015 Jul 4.
- Harnum JJ. Hospital gun discharge events 2011-2013. J Healthc Prot Manage. 2014;30(2):36-46.
- Kelen GD, Catlett CL, Kubit JG, Hsieh YH. Hospital-based shootings in the United States: 2000 to 2011. Ann Emerg Med. 2012 Dec;60(6):790-798.e1.
- Blair JP, Schweit KW. (2014). A study of active shooter incidents, 2000 – 2013. Texas State University and Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington D.C. 2014. Available online at: https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/office-of-partner-engagement/active-shooter-incidents/a-study-of-active-shooter-incidents-in-the-u.s.-2000-2013. Accessed June 13, 2016.
- ACEP “Hospital Lockdown Policy [PDF].” Available at: https://www.acep.org/workarea/downloadasset.aspx?id=45256. Accessed June 13, 2016.
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One Response to “Run, Hide, Fight: How to React When There’s Gunfire in the Emergency Department”
June 27, 2016
ChuckGreat article couple of things to add. If you have armed security (great idea in my opinion) they should have a. tasers in addition to guns, b. be well trained at least law enforcement levels and c. have “retention holsters that require at least two levels to draw the weapon to prevent their weapon being taken and used.