Are DoingTo KeepTheir FacilitiesSafe- NBC 26 -...

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What Hospitals Are Doing To Keep Their Facilities Safe

Posted: Ocl 17,20126:16PM EST By JonathanDavis It only takes a second for tragedy to strike just like the shootingthat took place on Tuedsay at University Hospital.Johnny Melles the Directorof Securityat Universityhospitaltells me they keep a tight watch on people coming in and out of the hospital and what's going on inside. He says there are proceduresin place in the event of a securityemergency,like Tuesday's shooting. "The general public should realizethat we deal with emergencieseveryday we train annuallyon any kind of event that you can think of. We have policiesand proceduresin place. And any event that takes place we probablyhave something in placeto handlethat,"said Melles. Melles says that each security officeron ihe university's campus is arrnedand trained to use their weapon. He says trainingis seriousbusiness lf officersdon'tscore high enoughon the shootingtest,they can lose their job. Mellesalso says even undera tightwatch,there is no way to see everything at all tirnesand still, is safe place. University "lt's almost physicallyimpossiblewith any facilityat this size to check everybody at every door. I don't know any hospitalin this area or in G'eorgia that have medicaldetectorsat every single door that you corne in. I just want to lell you, and assure our staff , patients,and the CSRAthat you are as safe as you would be at any other facilityin the CSRA,"said Melles. Chief James Cole at Doctors Hospitalagrees. "Just like most hospitals whetherit be at that don't have that. cause something likethis can happenanywhere, a hospital or mallor anywhereelse. said Cole. Cole says he rnakestraininga top priority," "We have our officers go throughtrainingwhere they can identifypossiblehiddenweaponson an individual. And we send them on that training once a year once every six months.Just to know what to be on the lookout for. The manneflsmsand also with concealedweapons." said Cole. Both Hospitalsdid want to stress that this was an isolatedincidentand that they are covered for any event that should occur. They also shared how they work closely with the RichmondCounty Sheriffsoffice.