Starting today and ending on Sep.6, John Muir Health, the Walnut Creek Police Department, Concord Police Department, and Contra Costa Fire Protection District, will be conducting a series of Active Shooter Drills.
There will be two simulations per day to allow for as many training opportunities as possible.
The exercises will take place on John Muir Health’s Walnut Creek Medical Center campus. There will be no impacts to patient care. The training is taking place in a building near the parking garage that is being vacated and torn down. While all involved hope this training never has to be used, they say the purpose of these drills is to provide first responders with an opportunity to test their response and procedures, and to ensure a coordinated effort.
First responders will focus on responding to the threat, neutralizing the threat, securing the scene, conducting a secondary sweep of the area and assisting with medical aid (either evacuation or treating in place).
They ask that the area around the building and on La Casa Via remains clear for emergency vehicles and personnel to make the exercise and response as realistic as possible.
They also need to keep the area clear to allow patients and visitors unimpeded access to the medical center. There will be no impacts to access or parking for residents and businesses in the area of La Casa Via and Montego Drive.
As part of the exercise, there will be loud sounds, but no live ammunition.
Great idea!
The way so many shootings are happening on purpuse or randomly…better be safe than sorry because SORRY just doesn’t do it.
Inconvenience to some people …oh well
where art thou????
So heartbreaking it has come to this. 🙁
Deal with reality..train to hard charge in & delete the threat
No live ammo — that was funny..we might be able to guess that one
they are not at the range……
CPD use to practice scenarios at the abandoned Concord Sewage plant, using paintball guns.
Kirkwood, Ha! That sounds like a scenario for having a bit too much fun at work..
Well, I think paintball might help, there are no moving targets at CPD’s range. I think they only did it once or twice. I saw the marks on the abandoned structures. The old treatment plant was located where Waterworld is now.
It does sound like a pretty good idea. And lots of fun!
Hopefully it doesn’t go live.
I’ll check craigslist for any ads seeking “extras” and crisis actors.
There will be volunteers play-acting.
Using unpaid labor to practice life or death scenarios seems like a great idea.
Problem is people who are coming to the John Muir ER with a rightful need to do so (been there, done that) are already stressed, panicked, and worried. Same for at least some hospital visitors Add traffic and parking or valet drop off issues. Now noise and commotion from this active shooter event will only add to the issue, perhaps remarkably so.
No one who is driving a loved one to John Muir for a possible heart issue, severe allergic reaction, or other emergency issue is going to check online to see if active shooter exercises are happening at the location. The adrenaline is already pumping, guts are in knots, worried beyond belief. Just get safely to the ER! Holds true for both the driver and the ill person.
Bad location choice for this exercise, in my opinion.
They can tell people what’s going on when they get there or put a sign in the driveway, or both. Would you rather them have not drill and then be clueless if there is an active shooter there?
ED is on the other side of the hospital and the garage. No one going to the ED would drive by this building.
@WC – no one will be clueless as to an active shooter in a live event. Noise, gunfire smell, overwhelming first responders traffic and horrific loud sounds.
But this drill could will be unnecessarily disturbing to someone trying to get a loved one to John Muir emergency. Take my experience driving someone there in possible heart failure in the evening. The ER entrance is difficult to see then off Ygnacio valley, and believe me, the driver won’t see any freggin signs about an active shooter event. Get to the ER now in a life saving event. That’s what matters. The driver ain’t going to see some small signs about an active shooter drill. These freggin drills can take place somewhere else.
Glad you apparently haven’t had to walk in my shoes getting a loved one to John Muir ER. Or having been on the receiving end. I’ve been in both places. This is a terrible location for active shooter training.
Mary. The entire planet doesn’t revolve around you. Sorry for the wakeup call.
The hospital just recently finished a huge construction project. No one died because of the sounds of hammers, or the traffic issues that brought on! And again, it’s going to be held far from the ER. It’s not going to bother anyone!
The benefits far outweigh any little inconvenience it may cause.
While these drills are certainly helpful, I am, also, not sure about the location. The Emergency Room at John Muir is particularly difficult to navigate with absolutely nothing going on nearby, including traffic. I can’t imagine what it would be like with all that activity nearby. The ER is not where you’d expect it to be, in the front where all the parking is located. Unless you arrive by ambulance, the lot serving it is tiny and always full, requiring a walk of some distance even if you can find parking anywhere nearby. This with what ever condition brought you there, chest pain, broken bone, breathing difficulty, etc. I have to agree with Mary having been in a similar situation a couple of times. I would think this would immensely complicate the delivery of a patient to the ER for someone driving them.
Just want to clarify that the exercises will be held well away from our Emergency Department. The building being used is on the far side of the campus away from the hospital. No vehicle entrances or exits from La Casa Via or Ygnacio Valley Road will be blocked. We will have staff and security officers ensuring that there are no disruptions to patient care, which is always our first priority.
I think Mary has legitimate concerns regarding effects to potential emergency arrivals, upset and with a very narrow focus.
I also believe that all concerned in planning this event, especially the medical people will be hyper sensitive, and not allow people who might accidentally encounter the drills in progress.
99% of the people who go to the ER don’t need to be in there and could wait to see their primary care physician. Let’s get real.
If I ever happen to get shot I hope it happens at JMH!
If I ever happen to get shot I hope it happens at Highland.
Don’t worry Dr. Maz has a great deal of experience with gunshots. 108RS
Highland does have a lot of gunshot experience. My #1 daughter was a resident there. But really people, can you stop making nasty comments about Everything? Mary made some rational comment and then, well you saw it. Thanks for hanging around Mary. We promise to be more respectful. I appreciate your comments.
Purpose.
Maybe I’ll stop by and give some instruction to WCPD and CPD, show them how the big departments do it. 108RS
Why do you keep advertising shoes? Is this what you had in mind?
https://m.shoes.com/fabulicious-lip-108rs/699196
Thanks
JoJo,
108RS is my longtime radio car call.
108RS
OK then. Catch you on the rebound.
Please change that headline to active-shooter response training