(P2-32) Emergency Medical Ambulance Services: Anti Terrorist Response in the 21 Century, Supporting Police Firearms Units with Specially Trained Critical Care Paramedics

Abstract

Tactical Emergency Medical Services (TEMS), is a relatively new area of pre-hospital care. It requires specific attention to planning, including selection, training, equipment, procedures and continuing professional development, CPD to maintain competence. This session will describe the development of a small team of Critical Care Paramedics, who undertake a short, but intense programme, based at the Metropolitan Police Specialist Training Centre, MPSTC in England. CCPs are trained to work alongside firearms teams, who respond to criminal and terrorist incidents involving the use of firearms. The task of CCP's is to reduce the time between wounding and advanced resuscitative care, ensuring that Police Officers, members of the public and others receive a high standard of care without incurring unnecessary delays. They work outside the “hot zone”, but further forward than traditional ambulance operations. When these capabilities are available within the Emergency Ambulance Service, they are likely to improve patient care and firearms teams mission success. Delegates will be able to: (1) Identify the rationale, threat, risk and policy considerations driving the development of specially trained Paramedics working in a Police Firearms support role; (2) Describe the anticipated spectrum of incident types that might be encountered by CCPs in respect of tactical support; (3) Consider the range of triage, treatment and other capabilities, that can be provided in the field, including a review of associated education and training models; (4) Review the specialist personal protective and response equipment that is required to carry out this role; and (5) Reflect upon the viability of such capabilities within their own EMS environments.