Safety and Security Training for Cook Children's Employees
Cook Children’s offers in-person and online security courses to provide employees with strategies to reduce risk in case of a shooting or other violence at any location in the system.
If you have questions or concerns, contact Noah Sullivan by email or at ext. 53928.
The recent senseless violence that took the lives of two people at Methodist Dallas Medical Center serves as a tragic reminder of the need to be prepared for what was once unthinkable. The news seemed eerie to Noah Sullivan because he has rehearsed that very scenario.
“To see it actually unfold somewhere relatively nearby, it's like, ‘Wow, there's a definite reason we do this.’ It makes things a lot more real. It validates the time that we spend training. It can be so applicable and make such a difference.”
As coordinator for Safety and Security Training and Exercise at Cook Children's, Noah works to make sure our staff is prepared and ready for what was once the unthinkable.
Noah conducts three separate courses designed to promote awareness, defuse an escalating crisis, and respond to an active criminal event in our buildings. Employees may register through ULearn on CookNet. (Hint: To locate the courses in ULearn, select the Courses tab, clear all filters, and enter “Noah” in the Search Courses field.) The courses are progressive and offered monthly at the Medical Center.
The next beginning class, called Situational Awareness, is scheduled for Friday, July 8. Courses typically run about an hour and a half, covering topics such as:
- Stay alert to your surroundings, report suspicious activity
- How to engage with a verbally or physically aggressive person
- Put the “Avoid, Deny, Defend” options into practice
For those who can’t attend in person, Noah offers the online Active Criminal Event class in ULearn. “That's the next best thing. It certainly is better than nothing,” he said. “But the conversation and the dialogue in those in-person classes is invaluable.”
Noah recommends not putting off the training, because it empowers employees to think critically – “Do I run?” “Do I barricade?” Then to ask yourself, “What drives those decisions?”
He wants his colleagues to feel better prepared by acquiring information that can help them safely react to a threat in the workplace.
Be Alert…Stay Safe: Cook Children's Alert System
As a reminder, in the event of any emergency situation, it is important that you are registered in our Cook Children’s Alert System to receive timely notifications on your personal devices. The alerts will keep you up-to-date whether you are at work or not.
Participation is highly recommended, as it is the most immediate way for this important information to get to you when an emergency happens. This is NOT a spam service and only utilized during an actual event or a highly important/urgent situation.
