We provide insights to strengthen your culture of safety.

Active shooter incidents can happen anywhere at any time, and their frequency in the United States is on the rise. 

In a recent Department of Justice study, the FBI tallied 40 active shooter incidents, totaling 231 casualties during a two year period – higher than any two year average in the past 16 years. The study stated in clear terms, “Citizens have the potential to affect the outcome of the event based upon their responses to the situation. The consistency of these incidents supports the paramount need for training and exercises for law enforcement other first responders, and citizens alike.”

Because well-trained staff both respond and recover better, safety and security professionals nationwide choose HSS to develop an effective active shooter response among their staff. Our training and practical exercises can save lives and improve staff confidence, while reducing employee turnover and psychological trauma. 

Unlike generic programs, ours is designed by professionals, tailored for our client partners. With our experience in conducting hundreds of these type of exercises, we have the ability to conduct safe, realistic, memorable engagements that resonate with staff.

HSS’ evacuation program provides guidance on the different factors involved in a healthcare facility evacuation either immediately following a disaster, or in advance of an event. HSS' program is intended to supplement an organization’s Emergency Operations Plan, and focuses on the specifics of how a healthcare facility will either shelter-in-place or carry-out an evacuation. Many individual evacuation plans lack specific guidance on how to make that critical decision, including what factors to consider and for how long the decision may be safely deferred.

COURSE OFFERINGS

Healthcare evacuation training for leadership

4 Hours

Evacuation training for frontline staff

30 Minutes (Per Unit) 

Healthcare evacuation tabletop exercise

2 or 4 Hours

HSS’ EM Team has a combined 60 years of experience conducting emergency management trainings across the country. We can provide exercises ranging from table top to local and regional full-scale. Our scenario-driven exercises provide memorable and effective methods to improve preparedness and effectiveness of response operations. All exercises are compliant with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP). Sample exercises include, but are not limited to: 

• Active Shooter
• Coalition Surge Test
• Healthcare Facility Evacuation
• Internal Hazardous Material Spill
• Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI)
• Mass Fatality
• Medical Surge
• Pandemic/Highly Infectious Communicable Disease
• Victim Decontamination

All exercises are compliant with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP).

HSS offers a comprehensive host of plans to support a facility’s Emergency Management Program.

• Active Shooter
• Healthcare System Incident Command Structure
• Emergency Management Plan (EMP)
• Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)
• Hazard Vulnerability Analysis (HVA)
• Healthcare Facility Evacuation
• Healthcare Surge & Pandemic
• Loss of Community Support (96-hour requirement)
• Mass Fatality Management
• Victim Decontamination

To mitigate risk posed to an organization’s patients, staff, and business, HSS offers a comprehensive evaluation of a hospital's Emergency Management Program, preparedness, and mitigation activities. Our review includes standards from: The Joint Commission (TJC), Det Norske Veritas (DNV), and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The EM Compliance Review is initiated with an offsite evaluation of the organization’s Emergency Operations Plan and EM policies/documents, paying particular attention to After-Action Reports to identify trends or recurring opportunities. Onsite, we interview key EM stakeholders, and the facility is toured. Then we conclude the EM Compliance Review with a thorough Gap Analysis and Improvement Plan. Whether ensuring an organization’s EM accreditation compliance or developing planning documents, HSS has a host of nationally renowned healthcare EM experts available to assist.