Report: On-Board Medics Make Big Difference in MCI Responses

A recent report looked at the role of tactical medics in providing critical, early assistance at mass casualty incidents, such as the San Bernardino (CA) terrorist attack.

“If you can get someone to the hospital within that first hour then they have a better chance of surviving their injuries,” said Ryan Starling, a medic with the San Bernardino Police SWAT team who was first in following the recent massacre. “Having paramedics inside instead of waiting for police to secure the scene helps.”

That day, Starling and the team were taking part in an active-shooter training at the Arrowhead Springs Hotel, less than 10 miles from the Inland Regional Center. Just before 11:30 a.m., members heard the call over the scanner.

RELATED: Report: Calm Response, Training Were Key to Preventing Additional Carnage in San Bernardino Shooting

The embedding of tactical medics and physicians into SWAT teams over the past few years has proved to be an invaluable change to the emergency personnel response and the ability to treat mass casualty situations, according to the report from the San Bernardino Sun.

As the number of emergency situations that law enforcement have to respond to increases, so does the need for well-trained boots-on-the-ground medical personnel.

In 2013, the Obama administration and the International Association of Firefighters endorsed a study from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that recommended medical first responders enter the “hot zones” in mass shooting situations to provide the most immediate help for victims. In the past, paramedics would wait for law enforcement to clear a scene before entering.

Read more HERE.

Starling will be presenting on the topic at FDIC International 2016, and recently spoke with Fire Engineering Editor in Chief Bobby Halton about the incident.

firefighters rescue woman

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