# Which services have tactical paramedics?



## Smellypaddler (Nov 2, 2015)

Hi,

A few random questions that I am hoping some of you guys can help with in order to help me with a potential research proposal.

Which services do you know of that have tactical paramedics or a tactical unit?  In particular I am looking for units that have civilian paramedics who work day to day on the truck providing civilian EMS services but also deploy with LEO tactical teams as unarmed medics or to support public order roles.

Is there a universally recognised training course specific to the above kind of roles? I know that TCCC seems to be common but is this more geared towards military operations or equally towards civilian tactical medics?

Does anyone here work for Toronto EMS or is familiar with the Toronto EMS tactical paramedic program?

I'm sure I'll have more questions and will try and clarify questions if you need more info.

Please consider that I am an Australian Paramedic when answering so I don't have a great understanding of the US EMS systems.

Cheers,

Smelly


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## Tigger (Nov 2, 2015)

Colorado Springs Fire has an engine company that is staffed with TCCC trained individuals, one of whom is a medic (each shift). That is their station's program, and they respond on SWAT callouts. There are not armed. They do not do public order call outs.


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## cprted (Nov 3, 2015)

Ottawa has tactical paramedics.

BC Ambulance also has a tactical team that deploys with Vancouver PD's Crowd Control/Public Safety Unit.

http://www.apbc.ca/about-us/levels-of-service/itsu/


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## Smellypaddler (Nov 4, 2015)

Thanks guys, it looks like Canada has a strong history with tactical Paramedics.  I also looked up the Colorado Springs info.

Many thanks for your help, I've traveled through the posts on this board and it looks like there are lots of EMT-T or TP-C people on here so if you could please keep updating his post with more info on tactical units that would be great.

Hopefully I can get the funding scholarship I am applying for and come and visit some of these units.


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## CANMAN (Dec 16, 2015)

Sunstar Paramedics in FL, Cypress Creek in TX, Charles County EMS in MD, are some smaller systems with TEMS medics and teams. A lot of the large systems also have tactical programs now. I expect to see an expansion in this type of service as active shooter situations become the norm in society.


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## reaper (Dec 16, 2015)

Greenville county in SC has tactical medics. They deploy on all swat calls. They fully train with the swat team and are armed on all swat calls.


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## STXmedic (Jan 31, 2016)

San Antonio Fire Department
-Unarmed
-Team of 24 total (4-6 on per shift) that make standard runs and respond with SWAT to raids and stand-offs

Austin-Travis County EMS
-Unarmed
-Team of 8 I believe (two on an ambulance per shift, and two assigned to the SWAT team M-F, rotated every couple of weeks)

Cypress Creek EMS
-Mostly armed (dual carted- licensed peace officers and certified paramedics)
-Unsure as to exact size, function similarly as above but have more involved roll in raids (breach and bang typically I believe)


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## Gordon Miller (Jan 31, 2016)

My service does and I am the one who started it with the help of the team commander.I usually operate more in the LEO role than medic.Ive only used my medic skills on a handful of call outs.As far as training and the "tactical medic" courses ect I've never taken any of them.I chose to focus on LEO class and training .A good start for someone wanting  to operate in this environment need to at least go through a basic SWAT school.I was training with the team I'm on prior to my basic SWAT so it made the transition easier.I think a lot of these these tactical medic schools and certs offered are a bunch of smoke and mirrors.If one is considering being on a tactical team they should already be proficient in the management of trauma patients ect. The tactics is what most medics need,all aspects of working in and around their team.As far as weapons, the first rule of a gun fight it to bring a gun.An unarmed medic is just another target and soon to be victim. I run the identical kit as all the other guys on my team,I am armed with a select fire long gun,sidearm,NFDD's ect . I was only issued a sidearm and armor from day one,all the other weapons were earned over a couple years.Its my opinion you are either all in or have no business being in the hot zone on a scene.


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## gotbeerz001 (Feb 1, 2016)

Gordon Miller said:


> My service does and I am the one who started it



Lol #humble


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## Gordon Miller (Feb 1, 2016)

gotshirtz001 said:


> Lol #humble


Our service had no medic on the team nor anyone that wanted to volunteer their time to write guidelines,SOPs or be involved in anyway. So I suppose that's about the most accurate way I could put that.


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## Tigger (Feb 1, 2016)

We have one paramedic on the ERT team up here. He is a part time deputy (so armed in his ERT role) and full-time awesome medic in a neighboring county. Obviously this means that he is not available for all their operations, so then it falls on us to standby far away and hope they remember how to use tourniquets...

We used to have ERT medics on every shift (one or more of the five), but some sort of regulation changed and prevented them from carrying on operations as they were not POST certified. That was the end of the program, no one wanted to be unarmed. They all went to a SWAT school and a CONTOMS program, but alas that was not enough.


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## gotbeerz001 (Feb 1, 2016)

Gordon Miller said:


> Our service had no medic on the team nor anyone that wanted to volunteer their time to write guidelines,SOPs or be involved in anyway. So I suppose that's about the most accurate way I could put that.


That's fair.


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## WolfmanHarris (Feb 1, 2016)

In Ontario teams that I know of:
Toronto Paramedic Services
- Emergency Task Force (Tactical)
- Public Order Unit (Riots/Large Gathering)
- CBRNE

York Region Paramedic Services
- Special Response Unit (Tactical, Haz-mat/CBRNE, rescue, bariatric)

Simcoe County Paramedic Services
- Incident Response Unit (Tactical (within Barrie and South Simcoe; OPP's tactical teams cover the rest of the county) and Major Incident)

Peel Region Paramedic Services
Ottawa Paramedic Service
Hastings-Quinta Paramedic Service (Belleville, Trenton)

Ontario Provincial Police also have Paramedics on all their tactical teams. In their case they're employed by OPP part time but must be currently working full time as an ACP in EMS. 

All of the tactical medics in Ontario are unarmed.


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## Run with scissors (Feb 1, 2016)

Here in Texas, a lot of the big cities are putting their swat team through EMT and paramedic school.  State troopers all have emtb.  I see Leo moving to this quickly in the future.  

Also, I read something recently about a fire department somewhere in Colorado has a few tact paramedics that are also peace officers and carry pistols only on scene of a swat engagement.


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## LOSTatsea (Feb 4, 2016)

@reaper That's extremely interesting about the work in Greenville SC, I'm going to have to check in to that (living in Charleston, working MUSC at the moment). Do you happen to take part in the service?


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## reaper (Feb 4, 2016)

I am in the service, not on tact team. Knees are to old for that anymore!


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