Tactical Medic Course/S.W.A.T. Medic

[Masonmedic]

Anyone taken this??Or any SWAT medics?Just curious on the course details(content,cost location etc).

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

Most of them stink. Shop wisely. Make sure whichever program you pick uses the TCCC Guielines. If COTMS has funding I'd go there.

 

[dwr461]

My experience with Tactical Medic is this. The cops have them wait outside until the dangerous stuff is over. Then they leave. The difference is that they're dressed in cool black pajamas with a vest and helmet sweating their you know what's off. If someone is shot the cops haul them out to you anyway. The cops attitude on the subject is that they don't want you injured (you're there to take of them too) so they're not going to risk you. Also at least with the SRT medics I'm familiar with, the medics are not allowed to carry weapons. This makes them someone that the cops then need to protect from the bad guys if the medics did a tactical entry.

Dave

 

[nickatnite]

My experience with Tactical Medic is this. The cops have them wait outside until the dangerous stuff is over. Then they leave. The difference is that they're dressed in cool black pajamas with a vest and helmet sweating their you know what's off. If someone is shot the cops haul them out to you anyway. The cops attitude on the subject is that they don't want you injured (you're there to take of them too) so they're not going to risk you. Also at least with the SRT medics I'm familiar with, the medics are not allowed to carry weapons. This makes them someone that the cops then need to protect from the bad guys if the medics did a tactical entry.

Dave

^^^^^^^^^^^
This...

Here is my experience from when I was a SWAT Medic from the late 90's.
At the time, the only training was just being developed "officially" as Counter-Narcotics Tactical Operations Medical Support (CONTOMS) which is part of the new program VG has mentioned.

As far as training back then, we trained the same as the SWAT guys. I also worked full time at the dept in dispatch, 1 guy was a patrol shift supv and 2 were working for the Fire Dept, but we were all city employees. The advantage was that all of us had gone through the EMT class and we also worked part time at the Hospital. Some of them worked on the ambulances, I was actually hired to work in the ER, so I got a broad knowledge of everything...

During call outs, we did exactly as DWR said, dressed out in all of the cool gear and crap. Out of our 4 man medic team, we drove the SWAT van and then the other two rode in the back. We hung out at the unit and we also had an Ambulance staged in a safe area for back up.

All of those old classes have now morphed into post 9-11 Homeland Security things. I say look at the below link, it has a lot of good info:

http://www.health.mil/Education_And_Training/TCCC.aspx

 

[dwr461]

I personally feel that it would be better for the PD to send their SRT guys to an EMT course than send paramedics to a tactical course. I apply this caveat to it however. I talking about civilian, urban, areas with full time ALS units available. In that setting an EMT or two on the PD SRT team could do the live fire stuff. The medics could be staged close by but in a safe area. After all cops are a dime a dozen compared to paramedic's. There just isn't nearly as many of us as there are cops and firemen.

Dave

 

[Masonmedic]

Great info!!!I appreciate it!

 

[mct601]

A Poplarville firefighter informed me that there was a 'good' one around Meridian. How good, not sure. He's involved with the local PD and SO as well. I believe there's a good one in California and in Georgia too, if travel isn't of concern.

 

[1*MEDIC]

A lot of theses tactical medic courses are just a lot of hype and flashy to get someone to drop some coin.You should be a good medic before you ever operate as a tactical medic so there really not going to teach you something you should know now.All the firearms training should be done with the team you operate with due to the fact you should trust them without a second guess.I have been down range of ever operator on the team im on during live fire.Some might find that crazy but if I cant have confidence in them at the range how could I when it all goes to $hit.Also the unarmed medic has never made sense to me,I just lucky I get run a mp5 as well as a sidearm because most medics if armed just have a sidearm.If you take any of them take CONTOMS and basic SWAT school.