It ’s Time to Train and Equip EMS Personnel to Respond to Active Threats

Over the past decade we’ve focused a great deal on attention to educating and equipping our law enforcement officers with individual first aid kits (IFAKs). We’ve not only equipped our officers with at least one commercially produced tourniquet and hemostatic dressings, but also trained them to manage severe extremity and junctional bleeding. Although much of the focus has been on law enforcement embracing the self-aid buddy aid (SABA) philosophy, many agencies have overlooked providing the same equipment and training to our EMS and fire department first responders. One reason behind this oversight may be a flawed thought process, that EMS providers and fire department personnel are medical professionals and, therefore, are already trained to manage these types of emergencies. Although our EMS system personnel are medical professionals, the vast majority of our frontline personnel aren’t tactical medical providers. Undeniable Need While in my early years of EMS, there was no real need to think about training all frontline personnel in what is now Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC), the threat matrix has changed. Following large-scale shootings across the country, the Boston bombings and most recently our Austin serial bombings, it’s undeniable that the matrix has now changed enough to now justify TECC training for all first responders. The question may remain for some as to why this training is necessary for people who are already professional medical first respo...
Source: JEMS Special Topics - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Training Columns Terrorism & Active Shooter Exclusive Articles Administration and Leadership Source Type: news