Athena Security Introduces Innovative Weapons Screening Solution for Hospital Ambulance Bays

News provided by

Oct 08, 2025, 08:39 ET

The new solution helps protect emergency departments by closing a critical security gap, implementing consistent protocols and real-time documentation for patient arrivals.

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the American Hospital Association, nearly 70% of emergency nurses report being physically assaulted on the job, often during chaotic patient arrivals. Recognizing this urgent risk, Athena Security, a leading provider of innovative AI-powered security solutions, has unveiled its new Ambulance Bay Weapons Screening Kiosk to help hospitals reduce undetected weapons threats and safeguard emergency department staff with consistent, documented screening protocols.

Hospital emergency rooms face a unique security challenge at the ambulance bay. Traditional screening systems are impractical for patients arriving in distress, on stretchers or in wheelchairs, necessitating manual screenings from a trained professional. Yet due to the urgency and chaos of trauma, there is a lack of consistent screening and documentation.

"The safety of our public and our healthcare heroes is paramount," states Lisa Falzone, co-founder and President of Athena Security. "Our partners and clients in healthcare expressed how vulnerable they feel due to the security gaps at most emergency bay entrances. We wanted to help mitigate those risks. Our new security feature responds to the urgent need emergency departments have for a solution that is efficient, effective and documented digitally.

Inconsistent screening leads to a critical security gap in a location where weapons screening is needed to help reduce safety risks to healthcare professionals, patients and visitors—particularly given the number of emergency room patients who have been wounded in violent incidents involving guns and knives. Studies reveal that firearms are involved in more than 90,000 emergency department visits annually in the United States.

To address the problem of undetected weapons entering through the emergency bay, Athena Security has developed a new Ambulance Bay Weapons Screening feature as a purpose-built solution. Staff can now use a dedicated, single Apple iPad to document security incidents in real-time and support consistent screening protocols. The platform records relevant details, captures photographic evidence of collected and confiscated items and the individual involved, and provides a digital or physical receipt for the items and contraband.

With this new system, there is immediate accountability at the point of entry; it identifies possible weapons threats and creates a centralized digital record for the screening of each patient and visitor, when used in combination with the Athena Weapon Screening solution at entryways.

The new Ambulance Bay Weapons Screening feature integrates seamlessly with Athena's existing weapons detection security platform, providing a comprehensive view of facility-wide hospital weapons screening. By transforming a manual, unmonitored process into an accountable, verifiable and auditable workflow, Athena Security continues its commitment to protecting healthcare workers and critical healthcare infrastructure with intelligent technology.

About Athena Security
Athena Security is a leading provider of AI-enabled physical security solutions. Founded by Revel Systems co-founders Lisa Falzone , Chris Ciabarra , and Michael Green, Athena Security was first to market with AI evasion detection and has since integrated AI Assisted X-ray , AthenaVision AR Alert Glasses and Telepresence Security Officers . Athena Security continues to push the boundaries of what's possible and leads the industry in developing advanced weapons detection and security technology. Athena Security partners with organizations across industries to enhance their security posture and help protect individuals in schools, hospitals, retail and public spaces across the globe. Athena Security is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and San Francisco, California, with a remote office in Jacksonville, Florida. To learn more, visit www.Athena-Security.com .