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Bravery In The Workplace
How One Branch Coped
The news was full of what happened when Mark Barton walked into the stock sales office in Atlanta and opened fire, killed nine people, and then ran.
What we'd like to report to our readers is what happened next door.
There is a SunTrust Bank branch in the building next door to the stock sales office. When the gunshots started, the branch door was closed and locked, and the tellers, customer sales and service representatives, and the manager were locked inside from 3:00 p.m. until they were escorted out by the SWAT team at quarter till seven that evening.
Our advisor, Brooke Blake, who is Security Officer and Training Officer for SunTrust tells the story.
"We had installed VCR/TVs in all 130 of our branches before the Olympics came to Atlanta so that customers could watch as they stood in line. Of course, we also use them for our training and marketing purposes. In hindsight, I'm pleased that we had the capability of receiving outside TV, because the advantage in this case was that our people in the branch turned on CNN, which was staying right on top of the shooting incident, and knew all that was being reported. It helped to keep them informed, which, under the circumstances, was very important. They had no other way of receiving news of what was happening.
"We had one of the telephone lines left open in the branch just so that everyone could call home - even to parents who may have been far away and necessitated a long distance call - to let family members know everything was under control and that they were safe.
"The vault was left open. The reasoning being that if during the search for the killer it became necessary to take cover, all personnel could go into the vault and close the door. There are air and communication capabilities in there, and it would be the safest place for them to go.
"Once the SWAT team took over, no one, including me or any senior management, had any say in how things were to be handled. There were no decisions by anyone but them. The Police Zone Commander was in total control.
"We were advised by the SWAT people that all pocketbooks, bags, or 'stuff' that people wanted to take out with them were to be by the door, ready to grab and run. Once they said, "OK, Leave!", they meant NOW!
"The next day all of that branch's employees came to work. Not one called in. They were greeted with gifts - roses for the ladies and SunTrust shirts for the men, and the first thing we did (after we thanked them at great length for their tremendous control and cooperation) was to sit down with the Resource Center trauma people and have a circle discussion.
"We learned a great deal about what to do and what not to do in a crisis such as this. We're just grateful that we were able to learn without injury to our folks this time."
Copyright © 1999 Bankers' Hotline. Originally appeared in Bankers' Hotline, Vol. 9, No. 7, 8/99
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