APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – After a shooting at a hospital in New York City Friday, it’s ironic that training for such an occurrence ws going on in Appleton.
Fox Crossing Police Officer Jason Weber often trains organizations to prepare for active shooters. And tells WLUK Friday’s training was timely.
“This afternoon, as this was unfolding in New York, we were conducting a training for one of our local clinics here> “
Weber said prevention is one of the first things hospital and clinic employees learn.
“Studies have shown most of these incidents are pre-planned.”
So Weber advises, as the old saying goes, ‘if you see something, say something.’ Meaning pay attention attention to odd behavior of co-workers, former co-workers, friends and family.
“We tell people to look out for red flags, to look out for clues, to, kind of, pick up those indicators of work place violence.”
But it’s not always possible to control whether these incidents happen.
“What we do have control over is how we react to the situation,” said Kevin Pullen who works in safety and security for ThedaCare.
According to Pullen employees get regular training in reacting to violent situations.
“The Department of Homeland Security put together a program called ‘Run, Hide, Fight,’ that’s something that we train all of our employees to do.”
Meaning, get away from the situation if you can, find somewhere to hide if you can’t and if faced with the threat, fight it.
It’s also important that any visitors to hospitals or clinics pay attention or any alerts or directions they’re given.
“Overhead announcements, staff wanting you to com into a room, things like that to get you out of harm’s way.”
Training varies depending on the hospital or clinic, because of issues like different staff and layouts.
“It takes a little bit of work and there’s different levels of security,” said Weber.
Pullen says the most important thing is that the training is done and done again to make the reaction second nature.
