“Secure, Preserve, Fight” can be an alternative way to respond to active shooters in healthcare settings when “Run, Hide, Fight” is not possible, according to an article on the Campus Safety website.

In an article by K. Inaba et.al in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), titled “Active-Shooter Response at a Health Care Facility,” the authors framed a number of key issues. 

The article said that the “run, hide, fight” response to an active shooter may work in many venues and for certain areas of hospitals, but healthcare facilities should consider a different approach for areas where “run, hide, fight” is not possible. 

Caregivers with vulnerable patient populations such as children, the elderly and those relying on life support systems need an alternative approach. K. Inaba et. al’s proposed alternative is for healthcare workers to “secure” the location, “preserve” the life of the patient and oneself and “fight” only if necessary.

Read the article.