IAHSS Launches Revised Guideline for Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response Plan

To assist healthcare organizations to bolster healthcare security preparedness and response, the IAHSS Council on Guidelines is announcing the revised Healthcare Security Industry Guideline 08.09: Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Plan.

The guideline provides a framework for the Plan to include preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery from an active shooter or hostile event.

IAHSS Members Only: View the Healthcare Security Industry Guideline 08.09: Active Shooter/ Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Plan Guideline

Today’s healthcare organizations are continuously looking for ways to improve security and patient care while being confronted with more disruptive and volatile events than ever before.  The changing societal climate has placed even greater emphasis on healthcare worker preparedness, training, and tools to best manage and combat the possibility of an active shooter or hostile event. Healthcare facilities (HCFs) continue to experience these tragedies that impact not only the victims of the violence but also healthcare employees with psychological injuries resulting in stress, fear, job satisfaction, and high turnover rates.  Healthcare administrators continue to look for reliable ways to prepare and mitigate risks in these situations. With the implementation of the revised Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response plan, the HCFs can better prepare, train, and mitigate risks.  Additional benefits of this guideline include enhanced collaboration with first responders and the community.

Katarina Kemper-Kelly, IAHSS Council on Guidelines, Co-Chair and Healthcare Public Safety and Security Consultants, CEO stated, “the 2015 guideline was revised and updated to align with regulatory agencies and provide more guidance around the ASHER Plan and the HCF Security Vulnerability Assessment (SVA) risks, impacts, controls, and resources.” The IAHSS Council on Guidelines is comprised of volunteer IAHSS members who are seasoned healthcare security professionals and leaders. Each year the Council on Guidelines develops new industry guidelines and reviews existing guidelines on a reoccurring cycle. 

The Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Plan Guideline was developed by the IAHSS Council on Guidelines, and is available for free to IAHSS members.

About IAHSS

The International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety, the only organization solely dedicated to professionals involved in managing and directing security and safety programs in healthcare institutions. IAHSS has developed industry guidelines and security-design guidelines to assist healthcare security leaders, administrators, and design professionals in fulfilling their obligation to provide a safe and secure environment to carry out the mission of the organization. These guidelines are meant to be applicable to all health care facilities.