Tactical EMS Tips - EMS WorldFebruary 7, 2011If you are a tactical medic who's also a sworn law enforcement officer, you must be prepared to take a life. Wrap your mind around it now--don't wait to find yourself in that situation. --Wren Nealy, Director of Special Operations, Cypress Creek EMS, Houston, TX Working in the tactical arena requires you to wear ballistic protective gear that can weigh up to 50 to 60 lbs. Extracting a fallen fellow operator to a position of cover and concealment, and ultimately to a casualty collection point, will require a high level of physical fitness most medics do not expect. --Wren Nealy, Director of Special Operations, Cypress Creek EMS, Houston, TX As a tactical medic you may be called upon to perform a remote assessment on a SWAT operator. Your abilities and judgment must be sound. This assessment will often be used by the tactical commander to decide if they should effect a rescue. Prepare your team for this situation now. It is not worth the risk of other lives to rush in and perform a recovery. --Wren Nealy, Director of Special Operations, Cypress Creek EMS, Houston, TX The majority of work is done before any action takes place. Medical threat assessment and intelligence is vital to the success of any mission. Liaison with fellow providers and healthcare facilities, and use available technology and resources. If you don't plan for it, it will definitely happen, so don't short-change your team. --Wren Nealy, Director of Special Operations, Cypress Creek EMS, Houston, TX
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