Tactical Medic Questions

cfrench said:
I would certainly be more comfortable being armed with at least a sidearm but arming a non-Leo is real complicated.
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There is nothing at all complicated about it. A handgun license is a one or two day course in most states. And working your medic into your range training days to stay qualified is not complicated at all. Why should a tactical medic be less armed than the average citizen can be?
 
We provide the TEMS team for every LEO service in the county. All of our members are armed on scenes. They must qualify just like the SWAT guys do. Except our team leader requires higher qualifying scores then the SWAT guys must have!
 
AJ Hidell said:
There is nothing at all complicated about it. A handgun license is a one or two day course in most states. And working your medic into your range training days to stay qualified is not complicated at all. Why should a tactical medic be less armed than the average citizen can be?
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Well, yeah it is. I have my CCW and I qualify on the team's weapon systems but when you start talking to your Chief and they Talk to the City atty, and....heck, even Workers Comp and thier atty gets involved (injured with own handgun etc, is this the normal work for a EMT-P/FF?). It does get complicated if you are not a sworn LEO and you work for any company. This is why only half of the TEMS units are armed in this country. There are other issues to consider like 'role confusion' but that is a training issue for later.

If you have your CCW, does your current service allow you to carry in the Ambulance? That appears to be what you are equating too.
 
If you are affiliated with one of the regional TEMS units that are not directly affiliated with any one agency and you have your own Medical Director etc then you can make arming a policy so long as your insurer will go along with that. There are teams that fit that description (I think PA has operating). If you can be taken on as a part time LEO and the Police standards in your state allow reserves on full service tactical teams then you are GTG obviously. Right now, the way TEMS is done, that does not work here. One team in ME has an urban medic who is a reserve LEO and he is actively part of the stack. OF the other teams in the state, TEMS is supplied by an area EMS agency and none are armed (save for one FT trooper/PT medic on the MSP Tactical team).
 
cfrench said:
If you have your CCW, does your current service allow you to carry in the Ambulance? That appears to be what you are equating too.
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They should. But that's not a relevant analogy. Special operations call for special equipment. Most companies don't allow their EMTs to carry SCUBA gear and rappelling equipment in the ambulance either, yet it is allowed for special operations. Most cops aren't allowed to wear BDUs and carry gas guns in their cruisers either, yet they can when on special operations. One size does not fit all. If an agency is not prepared to do the mission right, then they should not do it at all. Go big or go home.
 
Yeah sorry that was a weak analogy. The team has built itself incrementally over the years and I saw the tems being unarmed was a start. I was actually very surprised my Admin agreed to it as it is a hit to their budget. I see the tems element being armed eventually but we knew it was start at the level or it was not going to happen. The team started out just doing warrant service work and incrementally grew into a full service team. If they went with 'go big or go home' it would not have happened. That was/is the political reality.
 
Tra said:
OR...........join the military go be a field medic..
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Or look up KBR, Xe, any of the multitude of contractors and get on a CSD/PSD element, training with infantry soldiers but being the Medical SME, lots of competition from EMT-P tho
 
dustymedic said:
Or look up KBR, Xe, any of the multitude of contractors and get on a CSD/PSD element, training with infantry soldiers but being the Medical SME, lots of competition from EMT-P tho
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I know of zero such operations hiring low timers with nothing but an EMT-B card and a dream.
 
KBR with a PSD detachment?!?!?!?!? Now that is the funniest **** I have heard in a long time.

Death by the red lanyard, a silent but deadly weapon.

Love it! :P
 
Glad you went there as I laughed out loud when I saw that too!!! :) :)

Also, Xe (Blackwater) is not even allowed to operate in Iraq anymore and since their reformation, they are getting out of PSD work and refocusing on their original concept of logistics support/ air support ops.
 
Actually they are still here. TC is taking over the WPPS contract, but Black-- , excuse me, XE will be around until September. I hear they are planning on heading your way. Lets see how long it takes them to cause problems there, god (or Allah) help everyone.


BTW - My days here are coming to an end. Due to some family health concerns, I have to head back to the U.S. for a while. I'll shoot you an e-mail soon..........
 
My agency operates a tac team as well as a basic, and advanced training course several times a year. Are team is quite large and fairly active in the south texas / louisiana area, and have been deployed quite a bit.

I will be taking the course in a couple weeks. I you have questions here is the website.

http://www.ccatt.org
 
LOL!

Blown off any feet lately?
 
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