BANGOR, Maine — Eastern Maine Medical Center officials held a “Code Pink” drill Thursday, according to a hospital spokesman.
A Code Pink alert occurs when someone attempts to remove an infant from the maternity area of the hospital. For the drill, a wristband was attached to a doll, and the doll was enrolled in the Grant 8 Safe Place Infant Security System, according to hospital spokesman Joel Crabtree. An employee then attempted to remove the doll from Grant 8 and take it out of the building. Staff from several different areas of the hospital quickly responded, and the doll never left Grant 8.
“The drill went really well,” said Steve Russell, manager of Security and Grounds. “The fact that the doll never left the floor is a huge success, and staff awareness and alertness were really key to that.”
EMMC takes many steps to ensure the security of infants, children and their families, according to Crabtree. A security system immediately alerts staff when someone tries to remove an infant. Training and education help ensure that staff knows what to do in a potential real-life situation. Policies and procedures outline EMMC’s response in the event that someone tries to abduct a child, and a security team stands ready to respond when needed.
