Daytona Beach, Fla.-based Halifax Health is ramping up security at its facilities after a fatal shooting in the Select Medical long-term acute care facility within AdventHealth Daytona Beach, NBC affiliate WESH reported Jan. 24.
Police charged Ellen Gilland, 76, for allegedly fatally shooting her terminally ill husband, Jerry Gilland, Jan. 21 at the AdventHealth Daytona Beach campus, in what Ms. Gilland said was intended to be a murder-suicide.
Halifax Health put metal detectors in its Deltona, Fla., facility in 2020, according to WESH. And this week, the system will begin adding an additional layer of detection and safety to hospital facilities with the installation of metal detectors at entrances, Alberto Tineo, Halifax Health senior vice president and hospital COO for Daytona Beach, Port Orange and Deltona, told employees in a memo shared with Becker's.
Mr. Tineo said the effort will begin with metal detectors at Halifax Health Medical Center in the Fountain Tower, France Tower and emergency department entrances. Halifax Health also plans to add metal detectors at Halifax Health Medical Center of Port Orange and Halifax Behavioral Services in the coming weeks, and add X-ray equipment at all entrances in the coming months. The Halifax Health board of commissioners approved the installation and purchase of the metal detectors in November.
"As we care for our patients and our community, nothing is more important than your safety and your sense of well-being," Mr. Tineo told employees. "These measures are being added to protect patients, visitors and Team Members so that we may continue to provide safe, compassionate and efficient care to all."
WESH reported that Halifax Health will also do visual inspections of purses, backpacks, bags and other items visitors carry while X-ray equipment is on order, in addition to existing security protocols such as requiring visitors to show identification.
A spokesperson for AdventHealth told Becker's Jan. 25 updates on additional security measures will be provided as they become available.