No gun, only a kayak paddle at L&M
By GREG SMITH
Norwich Bulletin
NEW LONDON A man carrying a kayak paddle, and not a double barreled shotgun, likely was the cause of a lockdown Monday at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital during a search for an armed man.
Hospital officials called it an honest mistake when a nurse in the emergency department reported the gunman to security.
New London police officially concluded an investigation Tuesday after speaking with another employee who came forward to say he fit the description of the suspect. He was carrying a kayak paddle he had taken apart.
He re-enacted the incident Tuesday for the nurse, who agreed she was mistaken. The unnamed employee was returning the paddle to a friend.
The scare could lead to some changes in protocol, hospital President and CEO Bruce Cummings said.
The employee did the right thing in reporting the incident, Cummings said in a written statement. It was a mistake anyone could have made.
Cummings said both employees are to be commended for their sense of ownership and teamwork.
A debriefing of the incident has revealed ways to improve specifically better coordination with police, Cummings said.
Weve learned from this one, hospital spokesman Kelly Anthony said.
Anthony said emergency plans are in place for most conceivable scenarios everything from germs to weapons of mass destruction. Similar security measures are in place at The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich.
For the most part, during normal business hours, its an open building to the public all hospitals really are, Backus Director of Security Tom Lillis said.
Backus regularly holds in-house training sessions and security drills for employees, who Lillis said are our eyes and ears. Employees involvement is modeled after the Neighborhood Watch Program.
Lillis said the procedures came into play when employees reported an infant taken from the nursing floor. Employees had reported the situation and a woman with the child was stopped before she made it out the door.
The staff reacted immediately, Lillis said.
Reach Greg Smith at 425-4219 or gasmith@norwichbulletin.com
Originally published April 11, 2006
