BCH performs school shooter drill, collaborates with high school drama club, law enforcement

BEATRICE - In an effort to determine preparedness for an issue becoming more frequent in everyday life, the Beatrice Community Hospital held an active shooter drill last week.

The drill simulated an early morning attack on the high school, with the Beatrice High School drama club helping out, plus, local law enforcement including police, fire and EMS. They even had parents participate in the drill. 

"We'd typically just use our staff," Angie Othmer, Director of Emergency Services for the hospital, said. "Being able to use outside agencies, we work with them every day anyways, but being able to use the kids at the school, even the parents, who came in and played their role as the concerned parent, it just gave us a better opportunity to evaluate the whole scenario."

The reason for the drill, and the need to go above and beyond, stems from this specific scenario becoming more frequent in everyday life, says Tasha Hesman, BCH's Chief Nursing Officer.

"A lot of times, this certain issue goes out over social media and it's far more public," Hesman said. "It involves a lot of people inundating our system at the hospital with a lot more information with a lot more information before we even are getting that information from fire and rescue or law enforcement. This is one we're seeing far more often in the media as well."