TriCounty Area Chamber Of Commerce: Active Shooter Drill At Pottstown Hospital

Pottstown PA

07 June, 2022

4:52 AM

Description

Press release from TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce: June 3, 2022 (Pottstown, PA - June 2022) Recently, Pottstown Hospital along with Pottstown Police Department and Montgomery County SWAT-Western Region took part in an Active Shooter Emergency Preparedness Drill in the hospital. Jim Magee, Manager of Emergency Preparedness, said the hospital has conducted drills in the past for mass casualties resulting from biohazards and other scenarios, and felt it was the right time to do an active-shooter drill as part of its emergency planning. "We have the 2nd busiest emergency department in Montgomery County, which leads to a large patient base. I think it was incumbent upon our staff to do an active-shooter drill," he said. Patient care was not interrupted because the drill was conducted in a closed unit in the hospital. Hospital administration intentionally chose this unit due to its size allowing for a variety of scenarios during the drill. The drill helped Pottstown Hospital maintain a constant state of readiness and meet Pennsylvania Department of Health and Joint Commission requirements. The drill was designed to prepare staff, including security and health care workers, for their roles in limiting casualties in an active-shooter scenario. Magee said the hospital has a good working relationship with Pottstown Police Department and Montgomery County SWAT-Western Region, and this drill provided an opportunity to enhance their collaborations. They plan to run the schedule future drills. This press release was produced by TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author's own.