EMERGENCY PROCEDURES MANUAL - Department of Health

Respond Green
APPENDIX
HOSTAGE SITUATION
The Officer in Charge contacts Police as this is a police matter. The State Emergency Security
Group (SESG).
The Police Special Operations Group (PSOG) or SESG will gain access to the ward via the Fire
Escape Corridor.
The Nurse in Charge will contact SVHM Security to collect the spare set of keys for St Augustine’s
• meet personnel on the Ground Floor Escape Door in Regent Street
• unlock doors to tunnel
• escort personnel to 3 rd Floor and access the ward through the concealed door to the staff
change room.
The PSOG/SESG proceed through interview room or into reception foyer as situation permits.
Rescue is not often required, talking down is most common and is always the desired method.
Staff are requested to continue as normally as possible in all areas not directly concerned. It is the
Correctional Officers responsibility NOT to permit any prisoner to escape from legal custody. For
full details refer to manual marked Emergency Plans St. Augustine’s Ward, located in control
room.
The following guidelines have been prepared for health staff:
1. Don’t panic.
2. Don’t be a hero. Do as told.
3. Don’t try to escape.
4. Be alert, take in all you can.
5. Only speak, if spoken to in initial stages (about 30 minutes).
After the initial stages (usually 30 minutes) try and engage in personal conversation, firstly the
captor then tell the captor about yourself and your family. The intention is to make them realise
both they and you are humans with dependant and loved ones. This will greatly reduce the
likelihood of violence being used on you.
The first objective is to calm the captors as quickly as possible. This is facilitated by staff doing as
told, not talking unless spoken to and clearly not attempting to escape.
While escape may appear to be an appropriate action to staff, it is vital to realise that this could
jeopardise the outcome to others irrespective of your success. If you fail, you would be at greater
risk.
Refer also to Group 4 Emergency Instruction No. 7
July 2001 Page 14 of 14