UMass Memorial Medical Center's three campuses follow U.S. Homeland Security guidelines on what to do in a situation involving an active shooter, according to an article on the Telegram website.
Security is top of mind in the area after a fatal shooting at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
"We've actually been working on active shooter responses for the last couple of years. It's part of our emergency preparedness initiative that we try to prepare ourselves for all types of emergencies," Gina Smith, director of Emergency Management and Preparedness said. "And especially when we see active shooters on the increase, we actually have a training program that is online and we do it annually. It's part of all of our employees' competency, so they have to watch and go over steps."
In addition to safety protocols and procedures in place, the three hospital campuses have police. Currently, the hospitals do not have metal detectors, nor has there been any discussion about metal detectors being placed on the premises, Smith said.
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