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Bay Area Planned Parenthood officials on edge after attack

Published  November 30, 2015 7:13pm PST
News
KTVU FOX 2

CONCORD, Calif. (KTVU) - After the attack in Colorado, you can imagine leaders of Planned Parenthood even here in the Bay Area are on edge.

The CEO told you this incident will do nothing to slow Planned Parenthood's mission of providing much-needed health care to low income people and the uninsured.

The Planned Parenthood Northern California headquarters and the adjoining health center are housed in a non-descript building in Concord. "It means that I will get care that I wouldn't otherwise get," said client Gina Richman of Walnut Creek.

Richman is six months pregnant with her first child, and she has no idea where she'd be without Planned Parenthood, adding even the county hospital is not an option. "I could but I would owe a lot of money that I don't have right now. So, it would kind of ruin me financially."

"Our work is very important. We save people's lives here," said Heather Saunders Estes. She is president and CEO of the Northern California affiliate. "Planned Parenthood is the nation's foremost provider of reproductive health services, family planning services, cancer screening for women."

The affiliate has 20 different health centers, and security is tight at all of them. "Well, we're certainly not going to be talking about specific safety measures," said Estes.

Reports since the Friday attack in Colorado indicate that police could tap into the facility's security system in real time so they could see the gunman's movements. "Just kind of scared. I mean, I don't want this kind of thing to happen again," said Richman.

There are also reports that at least some facilities have safe rooms where staff and patients can go to escape a gunman. "It is true that it shoudln't be that women's health services and reproductive health centers like ours should have to have significant security measures. That shouldn't be. It's not right," exclaimed Estes.

Because of the Colorado attack, the Planned Parenthood is planning a National Day of Unity and Action this coming Saturday.