Lee Health unveils weapon detection system
An unknown man walked into the emergency room Tuesday at Lee Memorial Hospital, when he realized he had something that could be a weapon.
He immediately took it out and brought the object back to his car before returning.
Had he tried to go through, the hospital’s new weapon detection system installed Monday would have let him know about it.
On Tuesday, Lee Health held a media event outside the emergency room to announce the installation of the Evolv Weapons Detection System, which will increase security and keep the community safe.
Gloria Graham, system manager for emergency departments, said they chose the hospital because of logistics and because Lee Memorial is the smallest of all emergency rooms.
“The system is the most minimally intrusive to our patients and visitors. They required the least amount of slowing down, which is important in an emergency room,” Graham said. “They’re entering a healing environment, so they can get the help and treatment they need.”
The system, which was decided upon after a year of planning, will use artificial intelligence-based weapons detection security to detect weapons, with Lee Health being the first hospital system in Southwest Florida to use it and Lee Memorial Hospital the first at Lee Health to install it.
This means that the hospital doesn’t have to do what TSA does and go through your belongings if they find something unusual.
Ultimately, the goal is to make sure everyone who is healing there, visiting there or working there to be as safe as possible.
“Emergency departments are dynamic places. We have paid attention to the trends and realized this was an added layer of security to invest in. The leadership of Lee Health was very supportive,” Graham said, adding that she doesn’t recall anybody bringing in a weapon with the intent to do harm.
Graham also said that nobody entered the healing environment with a weapon. However, there were two who walked up to the door with something that could be construed as one, saw the sign, and went back to their vehicle and secured the weapon there.
The system can screen up to 3,600 people in an hour with its AI built into the system, while the hospital takes in about 100 patients per day.
The AI alerts the officer about the item, so he/she can see if it’s a laptop. The system learns what may or may not be a danger. This system highlights where the alert was, as opposed to just signaling an alert.
The system detected a couple items on its first day of use, including a pocketknife, which was put back in the vehicle.
Katie Egan, media relations specialist at Lee Health, also demonstrated the system by holding a fake gun in her hand as she went through security. The alarm did not go crazy, but it quietly alerted the officer of a potential issue on the computer screen.
The systems will soon be installed in all the Lee Health emergency rooms. With Gulf Coast Hospital being next and Cape Coral Hospital after that. Cape’s system should be installed early in the fall.