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Local QC hospitals take a look at security plans after Mercy Hospital Chicago shooting

In an active shooter situation at Trinity, if you’re in the hospital you have a job.

ROCK ISLAND-- Police officers storming the hospital, patients and emergency personnel embracing, these are the sights of tragedy that are now forever engraved in the mind of UnityPoint Health Trinity Doctor Michael Mack.

"People think to go to the hospital for safety and for care. So when such an incident such as an active shooter is involved in a hospital, that weighs heavily on the psyche. Now we've taken that location of absolute safety and removed that," says Mack.

On Monday, November 19, 2018 a gunman opened fire killing three people at Mercy Hospital in Chicago. One was a doctor, another a pharmacist, the third a police officer.

"Immediately I was sorrowful for the families and the people involved up there followed quickly by thankfulness for our recent training scenario here because this is pure evidence this happens," says Mack.

A few weeks back, UnityPoint Health Trinity did a hospital wide active shooter drill. Doctor Mack designed it. The made up scenario was that a single active shooter created multiple victims.

In an active shooter situation at Trinity, if you're in the hospital you have a job.

"The primary goal is to neutralize that threat because once that threat is neutralized, no more damage can occur," says Mack.

After that hospital staff quickly follows law enforcement to tend to shooting victims. And everyone else, pay attention.

"Is there something around here at this time that looks out of the normal? Does everyone appear to be acting the way they should be acting or is there a potential threat?"

Doctor Mack hopes to implement this training quarterly for all employees to build confidence in case disaster hits.

"Our hearts and prayers are out to all of them. It's such a tragic horrible situation,"says Mack.

At Genesis Health System, they train for active shooters using the "Run, Hide, Fight" method designed by the Department of Homeland Security. Genesis representatives say the hospital continues to add security enhancements to make Genesis safer.

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