Health Care Security: Strategies to Minimize the Loss of Life and Maximize Security in Times of Crisis

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Health Care Security Strategies to Minimize the
Loss of Life and Maximize Security in Times of
Crisis
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Presentation Roadmap

• Introduction
• A Personal Account
• Pre-Disaster Planning
• The Main Event, what you will need
• Post-Event Consideration
• QA

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Presenters

• Isaac E. Luten IV, JD,CPP
• Principal Consultant, HSS
• George Patterson
• Director of Security, HSS- LA, MS
• Dean Sobcoviak, CPP, CHPA, RHSO
• Vice President - Healthcare Security, HSS

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A Personal Account

• George Patterson
• Director of Security
• HSS - LA, MS

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Citizens flee city, while thousands flee to the
superdome and convention center
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Levees break, city begins to flood
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Methodist Hospital - Roof top
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Methodist Hospital - Roof top
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Methodist Hospital - Roof top
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Methodist Hospital - Roof top
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Methodist Hospital - under front canopy
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Methodist Hospital - front canopy
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Methodist Hospital - inside lobby
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Methodist Hospital - inside lobby
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Methodist Hospital - outside MOB parking lot
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Methodist Hospital - parking lot
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Methodist Hospital - Security vehicle
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Methodist Hospital - employees waiting for rescue
on roof top
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Methodist Hospital - helicopter rescue
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Methodist Hospital - employees cooling off on
roof top
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Drowned city - Day after Katrina
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People attempt to flee flooded areas
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Flooding around the city
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The rescues begins
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Evacuees rescued from flood waters taken to
staging areas for departures to places unknown
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Marshall law is declared - troops patrolling
streets
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Pre-Disaster Planning

• Your Security Department must have a Pre-Disaster
  Security plan that supports your Facilities
  Disaster Preparedness Plan.

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Pre-Disaster Planning

• Conduct a series of meetings that are inclusive
  of all departments in the hospital, discussing
  the who, what, when, where and how the
  organization is going to respond from a security
  perspective PRIOR to the event.

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Pre-Disaster Planning

• Create a list of all essential personnel for each
  Department that are required to be on site.
• Clearly state in writing the repercussions of not
  reporting for the event such as policy regarding
  termination/disciplinary consequences for not
  reporting to duty.

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Pre-Disaster Planning

• Develop job action plans, defining specifically
  what duties are to be performed by whom and when.
  This will be vital for HR/pay/insurance purposes.
• Have written agreements as it relates to pay
  during such events for employees, i.e. how much
  will security be paid, time and a half, OT, paid
  24 hrs, etc.

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Pre-Disaster Planning

• In planning meetings, spend a considerable amount
  of time developing alternative ways to
  communicate during a disaster.
• Assume that in the best case scenario, your top 2
  preferred methods of communication within and
  outside of your facility will not work.
• Develop a help/information line (toll-free line
  and web page) to keep information flowing to all
  employees expected to respond to the event.

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Pre-Disaster Planning

• Maintain an accurate listing of all hospital
  personnel on site. (Pre-event, during the event
  and post event)
• Have forwarding address for communication/payroll
  for all employees including phone numbers.

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Pre-Disaster Planning

• Have a written policy defining when to evacuate,
  discussing the transport of patients.
• Have possible evacuation sites planned, including
  housing, transportation and physiological support
  planned for entire staff after the event/contact
  family information.
• Conduct drills simulating evacuating patients

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Pre-Disaster Planning

• Arrange to have badges created to clearly
  identify employees, family members patients.

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Pre-Disaster Planning

• Secure all vehicles and other mission critical
  tools and resources onto the highest ground
  possible.
• Anticipate your threats and vulnerabilities and
  protect the tools you will need to secure your
  patients, staff and their families.

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Pre-Disaster Planning

• Have a contractual agreement with an outside
  security provider to provide supplemental
  security staff to assist your facility with
  access control and other security needs in the
  event of civil unrest or to assist in securing
  the facility the instance you must evacuate.

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Pre-Disaster Planning

• Keep in mind when selecting supplemental security
  support that many if not all local resources will
  be faced with the same challenges your facility
  has an may be unable to provide you the support
  you contracted for.
• Consider identifying resources outside of your
  own geographic region who may be in much better
  position to respond to your needs.

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Checklist of Items Needed for the Event

• Food- at least a weeks supply of non-perishable
  food. A variety if possible.
• Water- at least a weeks supply of bottled water.
  7-10 gallons per person
• Sanitary Wipes, liquid soap, toilet tissue, large
  supply of heavy duty trash in the event there is
  bags that could double as portable toilets in the
  event plumbing ceases to exist.
• Medicine- bandages, ointments, aspirin, Tylenol,
  penicillin if possible.

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Checklist of Items Needed for the Event

• Secure the pharmacy with extra 24/7 security with
  restricted access from staff.
• Secure the Emergency Department and other areas
  considered Security Sensitive.

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Checklist of Items Needed for the Event

• If flooding is an identified threat or
  vulnerability for you facility, have one or more
  aluminum flat boats with motor and a supply of
  fuel that can be accessed.
• Tool kits
• Portable ladders
• Large supply of heavy duty construction gloves
  for handling of sharp debris.

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Checklist of Items Needed for the Event

• Radios for communication throughout the facility
  in the instance the phones are inoperable.
• Sleeping bags/blankets
• Large supply of hip boots
• Large supply of generator fuel if applicable to
  your facility that is kept in a dry/safe place
  for easy retrieval.
• Insect Repellent

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Checklist of Items Needed for the Event

• Digital Cameras with extra battery supply
• Video Camera with extra battery supply
• Flares to signal helicopter/spot lights
• Mega-phones for communication purposes
• Battery powered flashlights
• Portable TVs, radios and scanners
  (emergency/weather band)

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Checklist of Items Needed for the Event

• Large supply of batteries to fit all emergency
  devices
• Cellular phones/Blackberries with long lasting
  batteries that have text messaging capabilities-
  (Proved very beneficial during Hurricane Katrina)
• One or more satellite phones with extended life
  batteries.

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Post Event Considerations

• Prior to exiting the event, record an accurate
  listing of all employees, patients, family
  members, members of the public, etc.
• Insure facilities management or security shut off
  all water/power to the facility.
• Secure entire facility, lock all doors,
  windows/board up any broken windows.

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Post Event Considerations

• Arrange for strike team to come in.
• Communicate through the web site/ 800 line a time
  line for returning to work, transportation
  assistance, housing and benefits.
• Provide up to date information as to the state
  of the city, include pictures, videos etc.

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Planning is bringing the present into the
future so that you can do something about it
now -Alan Lakein
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Questions????
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Contact Information

• Isaac E. Luten IV, J.D. CPPPrincipal Consultant,
  HSS303-603-3109
• iluten_at_hss-us.com
• Dean Sobcoviak, CPP, CHPA, RHSOVice President of
  Security, HSS303-603-3103dsobcoviak_at_hss-us.com
• George PattersonDirector of Security, LA,
  MS504-834-3100gpatterson_at_hss-us.com

HSS Corporate Office 1395 S. Platte River
Dr. Denver, CO 80223
HSS Louisiana Office 1937 Veterans Blvd. Suite
402Metairie, LA 70005