ASPR highlights active shooter resources in wake of hospital shooting

In the wake of Monday’s shooting at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response today encouraged medical facilities to review its 2017 planning and response guide for active shooter incidents in health care settings, and other resources to help emergency medical professionals plan for and respond to the changing nature of mass shootings and explosive events. “There have been at least five shootings in or near medical facilities this year,” the agency said in a communication to health care and public health sector partners. “The unfortunate reality is that all hospitals and communities are vulnerable. While we can’t predict such an event, we can improve our awareness. It is critical for you to prepare your facility and staff as thoroughly as possible for the threat of an active shooter through your emergency response planning.”