IAHSS Past President Bryan Warren Discusses Swatting Incidents with ASHE’s HFM Magazine

'Swatting' becomes a growing concern. Prank threats to hospitals are on the rise, presenting a new challenge for security teams.

Swatting — the dangerous prank of falsely reporting to the police a major crisis that isn’t actually happening — typically involves hardcore video gamers or school settings, but it has also been used to target hospitals.

The name refers to police SWAT or special weapons and tactics teams, which the prankster hopes to lure via false report to the targeted site with guns drawn in anticipation of a dangerous situation like a bomb threat, active shooter or hostage crisis. For a hospital, these incidents can trigger lockdowns, diversion, evacuations or other major disruptions in the hospital’s business.

Read More: ASHE's Healthcare Facilities Management Magazine