DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
MEDICAL CENTER
(LOCATION)
EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE NO. ( ) (DATE)
SUBJECT: Hostage/Barricade Situation
1. Description of the Threat/Event.
a. Hostage Situation. A situation in which a person(s) holds another person(s) against his/her will by force, threat, or violence, and Law Enforcement Officials present at the scene are attempting to obtain the release of person(s)/hostages being held. (It should be assumed that the Hostage Taker is armed at all times.)
b. Barricade Incident. A situation in which a person, while in a place of cover, who is armed or believed to be armed, resists being taken into custody.
2. Impact of Mission Critical Incident. The threat of hostage/barricade situation will severely disrupt medical center operations and will require the immediate response of trained Police Hostage Negotiators.
3. Operating Units with Responsibility to Manage this Threat/Event.
· Medical Center Director
· Chief of Staff
· Chief, Police and Security
· Safety Manager
· Chief, Facilities Engineering
· Chief, Nursing Service
· Administrative Officer of the Day (Non-administrative hours)
· Social Work Service
· Mental Health Service
· Chaplain Service
· Information Resources Management (IRM) Service
4. Mitigation/Preparedness Activities of the Threat/Event.
a. Hazard Reduction Strategies and Resource Issues. N/A.
b. Preparedness Strategies and Resource Issues. N/A.
5. Response/Recovery from the Event/Threat.
a. Hazard Control Strategies and Resource Issues.
· The Medical Center Director should immediately notify key personnel and activate a Command Post Operation. Command Post should be comprised of key personnel or designated representatives and medical center's designated Hostage, Barricade Negotiators. These trained negotiators more than likely will be representatives/police officers from the local community or FBI.
· The Chief of Police and Security or designated representative should assume crime scene security, contain the situation, evacuate patient staff from the immediate area of danger "if possible", and await arrival of trained hostage negotiators.
· The Command Post should contact Facilities Engineering and gather utility information and mini-floor plans of the Hostage Area.
· The Chief of Staff should gather information on the Hostage Taker, if Hostage Taker is a VA patient, and provide information to the Command Post and trained hostage negotiators.
· The Chief of Police should gather as much information as possible on the Hostage Taker and hostages.
b. Recovery Strategies and Resource Issues. Hostage situations have been known to prolong into days. The Medical Center Director should consider contingency plans to close the medical center or relocate patient care activities to safe areas.
· The Medical Center’s Public Relations must work closely with the local media and Command Post on a selected area for briefing.
· The Medical Center Director will not allow any media releases without prior coordination and approval of the Hostage Negotiation Team. "To do otherwise could be detrimental to the safety of the hostages."
· If the Hostage Taker/Hostages are employees, the Medical Center Director will work closely with Human Resources Management (HRM) to obtain information concerning the affected employees; i.e.,
q Name
q Age
q Known medical conditions
q Other, etc.
This information may be shared with the Chief, VA Police and the Hostage Response Negotiators.
Note: Critical Incident Stress debriefing shall be required for Hostages and Staff once the danger is over and the situation is under Law Enforcement control.
c. See Attached Charts: Key Activity Management Tool/Structure.
6. External Notification Procedures.
· VISN Director
· FBI
· Local Law Enforcement Response Team/Negotiators
· Deputy Assistant Secretary for Security and Law Enforcement, Washington, DC.
· OSHA - Notify within eight (8) hours on one (1) employee fatality, or three (3) employee hospitalizations from single incident..
7. Specialized Staff Training.
· Key medical center personnel are trained on procedures for implementing Command Post operations. All medical center employees should be trained and knowledgeable of what actions to take in a hostage situation.
· VA Police should be trained to respond and contain hostage/barricade situations.
· Written Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with local Law Enforcement Authorities/Hostage Team for response techniques should be developed and obtained when possible.
8. References. N/A.
9. Review Date.
(NAME)
Chief, (SERVICE NAME)
Attachments: