On December 20, 2021, two men were shot outside of a hospital in Kelowna BC. On December 29, 2021, rapid tests were stolen at an alarming rate from Winnipeg hospital. On October 27, a man stabbed someone at a Manitoba hospital. On June 6, 2021, an ambulance was stolen from Kingston General Hospital.
Multiple times in 2020 and 2021, a woman posed as a nurse. And throughout COVID, masks, gloves and sanitizer have been locked up to reduce thefts as hospitals across Canada have seen supplies go missing from store rooms.
These are just some of the many incidents that have been occurring at hospitals across Canada over the past couple of years. So, why exactly are you telling you this?
Because it’s crucial that hospitals implement effective security systems to protect their facilities, assets, as well as the people who stay and work within their buildings.
With that in mind, here are three of the most important security system considerations in your hospital, or medical clinic / facility to help protect staff, patients and visitors.
- Surveillance cameras
Hospitals can be chaotic, which can make it hard for your staff to watch for signs of crime about to happen. Your employees are focused on their patients’ health and ensuring everyone is being cared for- not protecting the property from crime.
While on-site security officers can help deter crime, they aren’t able to stop every possible incident before it occurs, and they may not always be in the right place at the right time.
That’s where a verified security solution comes in. Verified security is monitored by security professionals who can dispatch authorities as soon as a crime happens. This will improve security in your emergency room and across your entire hospital, as well as increase police response times and help keep everyone safe.
- Panic buttons
Panic buttons help protect staff, patients and visitors from harm. They are pressed when a person feels there is danger and a need for emergency response. Panic buttons are most effective when they are hidden where employees can easily and discreetly push them. In your hospital, you may want to consider installing panic buttons at reception, triage, nurses desks and in offices with a view of the hospital operations.
When a Sonitrol panic button is pressed, our monitoring center is alerted so that the threat can be verified. Once verified, authorities are immediately dispatched.
- Managed access control
Managed access control helps you manage who can get in and out of different areas of your hospital. This may include access to labs, medication stores and other storage cabinets.
Access control can prevent external threats, such as violent crimes and theft, but can also help reduce internal theft by employees, such as the incident that recently occurred at a Hamilton, Ontario hospital. Managed access control can also protect physical records, to prevent crimes like the 2019 record theft from Winnipeg’s Children Hospital.
Hospitals help protect the health and safety of Canadians, but we also need to protect the health and safety of our hospitals.
At Sonitrol Western Canada, we have been helping public government buildings stay secure for more than 50 years. We have programs specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of these facilities at all levels and use state-of-the-art technology that isn’t available anywhere else.
We also offer strong local support, regionalized management and knowledge/resources that will ensure your medical building stays protected.
For more information on security for government buildings or medical facilities that are open to the public, please contact us today.
