Tactical Paramedic

[medic_ina_box]

Popping my post cherry here! Are there any tactical medics on here? Wondering if yall are through a pd or fd.

[Moltke]

Popping my post cherry here! Are there any tacticle medics on here? Wondering if yall are through a pd or fd.

Tacticle? Or do you mean tactical?

[medic_ina_box]

Tactical I caught it too late

[ST911]

Maybe he means tactile medics.

Tactile skills are very important.

[medic_ina_box]

Glad to see this is a forum of past spelling bee champs!

[chuckman]

Many of us are or have been. Welcome. Check your ego and spelling at the door! :)

[medic_ina_box]

Appreciate the welcome, just wanting a little insight. I walked right into it, thick skin is a part of the business

[Hmac]

Popping my post cherry here! Are there any tactical medics on here? Wondering if yall are through a pd or fd.

I've taken CONTOMS (twice) as well as the Tactical EMS course from Todd Burke (Tactical Specialites) many years ago. I'm not an actual Tactical Medic since I don't have the credentials to be an EMT-P, but up until recently I served as Medical Director for local SO Tac Team for about 16 years and was responsible for 8 Paramedics under my medical license. I got too old (knees got too old) to meet the PT standards, now I'm medical director for the Bomb Squad (got new knees). It's a hoot.

[medic_ina_box]

I've taken CONTOMS (twice) as well as the Tactical EMS course from Todd Burke (Tactical Specialites) many years ago. I'm not an actual Tactical Medic since I don't have the credentials to be an EMT-P, but up until recently I served as Medical Director for local SO Tac Team for about 16 years and was responsible for 8 Paramedics under my medical license. I got too old (knees got too old) to meet the PT standards, now I'm medical director for the Bomb Squad (got new knees). It's a hoot.

I was thinking about getting my TCLEOSE and attempting to venture off into it, all of your were pd then?

[chuckman]

I'm not an actual Tactical Medic since I don't have the credentials to be an EMT-P....

Now that's just jacked up.

[Hmac]

I was thinking about getting my TCLEOSE and attempting to venture off into it, all of your were pd then?

We worked for the Sheriff's office as volunteers in a medical capacity only, none of us were sworn.

[Hmac]

Now that's just jacked up.

As a licensed physician, I wasn't limited. An MD is required to sign off on the Paramedics so that they could do ALS.

[chuckman]

As a licensed physician, I wasn't limited. An MD is required to sign off on the Paramedics so that they could do ALS.

Yeah, I get it.

[ST911]

Glad to see this is a forum of past spelling bee champs!

It's a good crowd. Welcome.

[cslone]

I'm a Tac Medic with a 35 man team covering ~120k residents, non-sworn. We keep a doc in the armored vehicle and I make entry with the team.

[Ouroborous]

We worked for the Sheriff's office as volunteers in a medical capacity only, none of us were sworn.

I function in the same capacity (as an EMT) while pursuing a BSN.

[TacMedic556]

Full time firefighter paramedic. Our PD put the word out that they wanted a medic on SWAT. I applied and got it, went to basic SWAT, train 10 hours per month with the team and go on every call as entry, etc. whatever the assignment may be. I carry the medic gear and am the "doc" (insurance policy) just in case. It is the best kept secret job there is. People never get it. It's always hard to explain.

"Wait, I thought you were a fireman? What? Are you a cop then? What?"

The worst part is the sh*t you get from other jealous firefighters who hate you cuz they aint you. Just tell them, "You're either SWAT or you're not......and you're not".

[Hmac]

Full time firefighter paramedic. Our PD put the word out that they wanted a medic on SWAT. I applied and got it, went to basic SWAT, train 10 hours per month with the team and go on every call as entry, etc. whatever the assignment may be. I carry the medic gear and am the "doc" (insurance policy) just in case. It is the best kept secret job there is. People never get it. It's always hard to explain.



Are you required to be armed?

[harrygill]

I am still pursuing the degree in paramedic refresher course (http://www.code3cme.com/) and will apply for the job in a month. Would love to serve my job at the earliest.

[sasage]

Full time firefighter paramedic. Our PD put the word out that they wanted a medic on SWAT. I applied and got it, went to basic SWAT, train 10 hours per month with the team and go on every call as entry, etc. whatever the assignment may be. I carry the medic gear and am the "doc" (insurance policy) just in case. It is the best kept secret job there is. People never get it. It's always hard to explain.

"Wait, I thought you were a fireman? What? Are you a cop then? What?"

The worst part is the sh*t you get from other jealous firefighters who hate you cuz they aint you. Just tell them, "You're either SWAT or you're not......and you're not".
Are you IAFF?

[Hizzie]

I took the class. I'm a former LEO. Just a medic now. My agency has a team they are required to get TCLEOSE within a year of joining.

[TacMedic556]

Are you IAFF?

Yes.

The position was negotiated for 10 or 11 years ago. I have been on the team for 8 now. The position is an integral part of the team, required to pass all qualifications bi-annually with a 90% MEUSOC (pistol and carbine) score, gas and less lethal training, CQB, Basic SWAT P.O.S.T certified, as well as attending TCCC and LETTC courses.

Originally we had 2 positions for medics, currently there is only one. I am striving to get another medic on the team. PD is in full support, however the cert pay is a hold up on the FD side.

The position has proven itself on countless occasions to increase the efficacy of the mission and provide care in the hostile tactical environment where regular street medics were not permitted or safe to enter.

[jahrule]

Are you required to be armed?
Interested as well. Also, what training is required?

[JCast265]

I'm a Firefighter/Paramedic and SWAT Medic for our team in the City. The County has straight medics as well as FF/PM's on theirs. Only been on the team for a year but I love it

[TheBearMedic]

Popping my post cherry here! Are there any tactical medics on here? Wondering if yall are through a pd or fd.
If like to see some more responses to this to hear how other places are doing it, so I'm bringing it back! I work for an urban EMS agency as EMS only (3rd party). We only do cold zone stuff while local PD has SWAT medics that are trained at varying levels from EMT to Paramedic that work in the hot zone. We also have local fire first response that, it seems, may be implemented to work in the warm zone.

Anyone have anything similar in their area?

[Eurodriver]

Are you required to be armed?

Interested as well.

Additionally, if you want a job that has you carrying a gun, why would you be a paramedic? :confused:

[Hmac]

if you want a job that has you carrying a gun, why would you be a paramedic? :confused:

Huh?


...

[Eurodriver]

Huh?


...

Hi Hmac,

Let me explain.

I wanted to carry a gun and shoot people. So I went to the USMC Recruiting Station and said "Hi, please sign me up for that 0300 contract." And then I went to Parris Island and got to carry a gun and shoot at people.

Now I want to not carry a gun, sit behind a desk, and get fat eating Doritos on a firm's dime. So I'm a CPA.

I did not say "I really want to get fat eating doritos, and sometimes have the opportunity to stand next to a guy with a gun that kinda watches over me in case anything bad goes down."

Why would anyone who wants to be involved in tactical operations become a paramedic and then try to get on to a SWAT unit/PD tactical medic position? Undoubtedly it would be easier to simply become a standard SWAT operator first, and then obtain adequate first aid training afterward. Alternatively, if you enjoy the medical side more, you can leave the gun to your weekend hobby and focus on first aid only while working as a paramedic taking old people to the hospital for leg pain.

Of course, the standard exceptions apply for green side corpsman who are phucking legit, but I am just trying to understand the premise behind the comments in this thread.

Regards,
Euro

[Hmac]

Everybody who carries a gun does so because they want to shoot people? Cops carry a gun. Sometimes more than one. They became cops because they wanted to carry a gun and shoot people?

No, of course not. Real life ≠ USMC. Since becoming a CPA you may have noticed (I hope you've noticed) that in the civilian world it's mostly about NOT shooting people, or for some of us, it's about taking care of people after some miscreant has shot them.

Most of the people who make their living driving vehicles with lights and a siren get bored easily. For them, it's usually about doing an interesting job. Some Tac cops become medics because it's a dangerous job and somebody needs to do it. Some medics join tactical teams because it's more interesting than rolling your rig out on a little old lady that has fallen and can't get up.

Those medics on Tac teams may or may not be cops. Doesn't matter. They're there in that environment that is inherently more dangerous than your average MVA. They may not be trained or authorized to enforce the law, but surely they have the right to defend themselves?

[Eurodriver]

We might be arguing different points. Of course medics can and should defend themselves. I have no problem with ambulance drivers or recliner jockeys that are put in dynamic situations carrying guns, nor should anyone outside of litigious minded lawyers.

I'm simply curious why would someone who wants to be in the tactical realm go into the healthcare side to begin with? You make great points as to why a medic might opt for no longer wishing to load geriatric and bariatric on to beds any longer, but if that person wanted to be kicking in doors next to SWAT from the start why not just kick in doors?

I'm also not intending to be adversarial (ambulance driver joke not withstanding) so I hope we can approach the subject with a tone of enlightenment and education ;)

[Hmac]

I enjoyed my 15 years as a tactical medic. I got to do some really cool shit that the vast majority of non-military folks would never get a chance to do, but at no point did I ever want to be a cop, or anywhere on the law enforcement side of any given tactical operation. It was a very interesting application of my real job and I got to work with a group of really great guys, real professionals, in a completely different area of expertise than I usually do.

[Eurodriver]

Sounds legit; thanks for explaining it from your perspective.

[SeriousStudent]

I corrected the spelling in the title of this thread, because it's been bugging the shit out of me for years.

[TheBearMedic]

I corrected the spelling in the title of this thread, because it's been bugging the shit out of me for years.
Haha, thank you for that. My eye can stop twitching now.