Building Tactical Medic Program from Nothing!!!

Hello All,

We are trying to establish a Tactical Medic Program to assist the Officers during their raids, etc. from scratch with very little knowledge. The Tactical Team will be made of 3 medics that went to the part time police officer academy because they will be armed. Two of the personell on the team are full time firefighters/EMT-Is at the local fire dept and the other one is a Reserve Captain/EMT ie. volunteer at the fire dept but does get paid per call. I am hoping all of you brilliant people will be able to assist me in answering some questions? We are based in KANSAS. Thanks in advance!!!

1. Who should finance (Pay) the tactical medics?

2. If the fulltime fire fighter/medic gets hurt during an OP would he be covered by the fire depts insurance or workers comp? is the pd liable?

3. The fire dept is under KP&F retirement and benefit plan and the Police is under KPERS system so who would pay for benefits for the medics? Are they Eligible to receive benefits?

4. Should there be MOUs in place to help with what agency pays and supplies what to the medics?

5. Who takes care of the policies/procedures/medical protocals?

6. What medical Items could they carry into the field?

7. Should the Medics be on the Entry or a R.I.T. team?

8. Does anyone know of any Grants out there that would pay for the Medics to get trained in Field Medicine or in the tactical Enviroment?

9. Does any agency have an established set of protocals that they are currently using that they would be willing to share? Please send any responses back to bwhite@concordiaks.org

10. If there is something that I have not thought about, please feel free to add to your response.

Thanks again,

Bill

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by William Caruso on April 22, 2010 at 5:51am

well congrats, i have been in your position, and this is how things played out 4 us, first, both our medics are career fire fighter/paramedics, we are armed, but are not LEO's

1. we are both paid by our respective FD, SWAT is treated like any other team assignment such as HazMat, dive rescue, or tech rescue

2. since we are paid by out FD we are also covered by their workmans comp

3. same answer here, the FD

4. Not a bad idea, but we dont have then and have not had a problem as of yet, and its been 6 years

5. this is a mix, policies are set by our team command staff, medical protocols are set by our med control authority

6. on person, like in pockets attached to my vest, i carry things to control hemorrhage (dressings, tourniquet) and the airway (NPA), also something to seal a chest wound, all my IV supplies and more adv stuff is in a backpack

7. we are split, one medic is the last person in the stack, but only enters the house if he is needed, the other is on the perimeter

8. this is worth looking into, i cant say that i have done it, as far as schools, look into the CONTOMS course

9. ill see what i can do

good luck, post up amy other questions

WIll

Permalink Reply by Matt Watson on April 22, 2010 at 9:35am

Bill,
An email is coming your way. In the mean time check out our yahoo group, "Virginia Tac Medic Training Group"
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/vatacmed/
You don't have to be in Virginia to join and we have MOUs and documents on file to share.
Good Luck
Matt

Permalink Reply by Val Bilotti on April 22, 2010 at 11:47am

Our State has some guidlines...I'm in the same boat...If you can share your findings...thanks

Attachments:

TacticalMedicineManual-July6.pdf, 3.1 MB

Permalink Reply by Brian Gilmore on April 22, 2010 at 3:51pm

Bill-

Welcome to our world. Money is always a challenge, but here's how we've done it at my hospital-based EMS unit:
1-4. Like many of the others- it is a special operations assignment, paid for by the hospital.
5. Protocols are based on the street ALS/BLS protocols, with a medical director who is just our TEMS doc (not our street doc). He has allowed for the development of TEMS protocols that cover non-urgent issues, clearing for incarceration, assisting with OTC meds for minor maladies, etc. PA is working on developing TEMS protocols, and Maryland has a set (attached, starting on p.283). It's good to get a doc on board early- let him/her hang out with the SWAT guys and fire off a few weapons. This, along with the bond that will develop from having a doctor around will usually suck the doc in, and they will be willing to work with you to develop protocols that fit your specific needs.

6. We use a three-line system: A-gear is what you wear on your person, and includes bandages, tourniquets, gloves, BLS airway gear, snivel gear (bandaids, motrin), triangular bandages, ace wraps (not kling), and webbing to fashion a drag/carry device. B-gear is the LA Police Gear Bail Out Gear Bag ($20!!!), containing SAM splints, IV stuff, BVM, some drugs, King airways or ETI gear, extra bandages, etc. Our C-gear is a Blackhawk STOMP II bag or a regular Plano street use tackle box with all of the standard street meds, bandages, IV's, etc., plus a standard street O2 bag (O2, ETI, King airways, etc.), and an EKG monitor/defibrillator. We also have a Bass Pro Shop bag with OTC meds and snivel gear (sun cream, bug spray, wet wipes, cough drops, etc.), that sits at the Tac CP or the Main CP for anyone to use.

7. We use three medics on warrants: one is the next-to-last in the stack (we're unarmed, and require cover from the last cop in line), one is staged outside with a roll-up stretcher, and the third is inb the van ready to swoop in and pick up any cop casualty. For barricades/hostages, the setup is different: one in the CP (usually our Asst. Chief- a white shirt & gold badge to talk boss stuff with the other white shirts & gold badges), one in the Tactical CP (SWAT's separate CP, used to coordinate SWAT Ops), one with the go/arrest team, and if there are units staged on the perimeter, we try to have a medic with them (especially the remote perimeter areas). If our doc is there, he usually hangs with the negotiators to provide medical advice & intel.

8. Grants are tough to come by- check with your SWAT team to see if any Homeland Security money is available, then check with local businesses. Walmart is very giving...

Good Luck, and keep us posted on how you make out!

Attachments:

MD Protocols 2009.PDF, 2.9 MB

Permalink Reply by Bill J. Hufford on August 12, 2010 at 10:35pm

www.medtact1.com

Permalink Reply by Paul Garcia on November 24, 2010 at 12:43am

I was looking at the post and one thing that I want to share is that there is a NAEMT TCCC course that is 16 hours and covers all the TCCC guidlines this course is straight from the People who wrote the tactical medic training program for the Military go to www.phtls.org for details. This course is about 250.00 and covers alll the tools needed to be sucessful in a tactical enviroment. One thing that this course offers that others dont is an Internationally recognized certification . Also look at the Ranger Medic Hand Book. The NAEMT is working to get DHS to hook up some grant money in the future so keep looking. I have been practicing TCCC since 2003 and teaching it since 2004 and it works.

Permalink Reply by Paul Garcia on November 24, 2010 at 1:58am

Look into this organization coalition of tactical medicine http://www.coalitiontacticalmedicine.org/ they have some sort of scholarship program

Permalink Reply by Sam Bradley on March 8, 2012 at 6:16pm

Paul, I just searched tactical medicine and found your comment.

I've recently become a board member and secretary of the Coalition for Tactical Medicine (CTM). I'm also chairing the committee that will look at program review and scholarships. We'll be providing info on all the different programs.

Right now we're looking at minimal level of competencies for programs. I'd love to get some boots on the ground opinions on that. Let me know what you think. http://www.coalitiontacticalmedicine.org

Sam Bradley

Paul Garcia said: