Houston is setting up something interesting.

A couple Houston paramedics that have reserve commissions with the local sheriff's department realized that during tactical situations there is rarely any medical support nearby, and even if there is then it's stationed a couple blocks away in a safe location.

Yet the military knows that a combat medic can save a life that would normally be lost if they were only a few minutes a away. Gunshot wounds leave very little time to act. One only needs to look at the Waco fiasco for a prime example. Many agents were shot and had to be carried out or rolled away on the hoods of cars at 5mph to get the injured to care. Four agents died and likely some of those simply bled out because medical care wasn't right there.

So our Sheriffs Dept is creating a true tactical medic team that can accompany SWAT and fugitive teams. These guys will be armed and train with the tac teams so they can enter with the initial assault.

Good idea, eh?

http://www.khou.com/news/local/stories/kho....13f69e05c.html

Yep, progressive SWAT cops all have TEMS support, it's good not only for the cops, but the public and the punks the law dogs shoot....

We normally stage 1-2 blocks away and just roll in when cleared by the law dogs....

Our city dept has been trying to do this for a while. So far it has been a tough thing to get started. Seems we have a lot of Ambulance drivers not willing to stick their necks out.

I like that idea. Hope they use it.. it's proved itself in war many times....

Hell, if they let me do it I'd even bring my own guns and ammo.....

Which has been the problem here for the longest. Those 2 minutes waiting can bleed you out from a gunshot wound.

It's a calculated risk, but this team will be right there armed helping to push the forced entry.



Btw, you have to believe these two guys who started this idea are serious adrenaline junkies. They work 50-60 hours a week in paramedic and ER work and then spend their free time patrolling a 4 million metro area as a hobby. Now they want to add SWAT entry to their workload! All they need to add now is wildfire medivac pilot to their resume and Hasbro will issue GI Joe action figures in honor of them.

This post has been edited by +Zeke+: September 4th 2009 5:00 AM

Where I work in Clayton County Ga We have had the program for going on about three years now. The "brass" like to say we were the first Fire/EMS department to start something like this in the country. All tac medics on the team have been medics for at least a year befor being accepted. Then go thru mandate school, try out for the SWAT team (i just finished, that was the two most brutle days of my life, CS gas sucks!!) and pratices with the team on most if not all of there pratice days. We are also sworn in with PD and SO for both of their teams. It is a lot of fun and the team realy appreciates us being out there. They know what they do is dangeres, and we are there at the back of the stack or holding a corner less than 5 sec away. If any of you guys are intersted call our department and they can direct you to the right person to get some helpfull info. Or contact me and i can get you talking to our tranning guy. Good luck on your future team.

Good job Houston. Lots of Northern California agencies are using TEMS and have it integrated in their tactical teams. Some are even done on a county level through the Sheriff's Office and used on a mutual aid activation. Good luck with your team.