Is There A School Adjacent To Your Hospital?

In many locations hospitals seem to be in the same neighborhood as school campuses. Whether it is a K-12 school, or an institution of higher education, often you will find the two within sight of each other. If you find your facility in close proximity of a school campus, have you established an open line of communications with their administration? Some would question why you would need to do so, and if that is the case I hope to explain the importance of such dialogue.

Hospital Security

Having been at many healthcare campuses and finding some type of public or private school near the medical center properties, it is obvious that hospitals have a liability on their doorsteps that needs to be addressed.

At one such campus contact was made with the school administration as part of a hospital security assessment. While speaking with them a substantial influence that the school presented was uncovered, yet the hospital was unaware of it. That influence was written in the school’s evacuation plan. The plan stated that in the event that the school needed to be evacuated for any reason (i.e. bomb threat, fire…) the students were to be led outside to a holding area. So far so good! However, in the event of inclement weather, the students were supposed to cross the street and enter the hospital. The problem with this is the hospital was not aware of it, and had not planned for it.

Security Emergency Planning

In an actual event, a school in the north central part of the country actually experienced a fire during the winter months. The weather was a factor and the students could not remain outside exposed to the elements for any duration of time, so the school moved its students to the adjacent hospital to await their parents or school buses. The school administration did make contact with the hospital, but only as the student were on their way. The actual call was received at the same time as the students entered the hospital. Hospital security immediately tried to contain the students to a lobby and large conference room with the help of teachers. However, the teaching staff was very few in numbers and the students were a very large group. Needless to say the volume and cooperation of the students were an issue, as was the issue of the students trying to swarm the gift shop. The small security department was quickly overwhelmed and Engineering was called in for man-power assistance to keep the students off the elevators and out of the stairwells.

Hospital Security Planning

If your medical center campus is adjacent to any type of school or large employer, it would be a good idea to check in with them and see what their plan is for an emergency evacuation. We know that hospitals are very good at planning for disasters and responding to such. However, most other businesses, if they even have a plan at all, do not consider what they will do in the event of a disaster of any type. They may view your facility as their point of refuge, and if so you could find your facility not able to handle a large influx of people on very short notice.

Security Risk Assessment

As part of your annual security/risk assessment, take a serious look at the neighboring properties and how they might impact your facility in the event of an emergency. Make it part of your assessment to contact your neighbors and at least ask them what emergency plans they have. If you have the ability to offer shelter to them, be sure that they know it, and they know who to contact.

In many cases when there is severe weather that knocks out power, hospitals sometimes are the only facilities left with heating, cooling, and food service. Not what you would normally expect a hospital to be thought of in most cases, but when disasters strike hospitals are often seen as safe places. Are you ready for what your neighbors have planned?