SPECIAL OPS - SWAT/TACTICAL PARAMEDICS

The Coral Springs Tac-Medic Team was the first in Broward County to provide medical assistance in conjunction with SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) as a fully operational team during a high-risk operation.

The SWAT Team and Tac-Medics will respond to any incident deemed as a potential hazard for responding medical personnel, as well as police personnel.

These incidents include, but are not limited to responding to violent citizens, barricaded subjects, hostage situations, search warrant service, dignitary protection service, and drug-related incidents. The team was also part of the response to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feburary 14th, 2018.

The SWAT medics have participated in numerous competitions including the International Tactical Emergency Medical Support (ITEMS), which brings TEMS providers from around the world to compete in a simulated “real time” style competition involving tactical emergencies and working with other SWAT teams. The Coral Springs SWAT Medics have placed numerous times including 2nd and 3rd with members on two different teams in 2002 (Toronto, Ca), 2nd in 2003 (Dallas, TX) and eventually taking 1st place in 2004 in Virginia Beach, VA. Members of the team are often used to provide tactical medical training to the Police Department, and surrounding Departments, as many of the team members are instructors for Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC).

The Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department established the SWAT medic program in conjunction with the Police Department’s Special Response Team in 1999. The team was formed to provide close medical support to SWAT Officers during training, search and/or arrest warrants, and any operation outside the scope of normal police operations. The members of the team are chosen based on a selection process involving a physical ability test, oral interview, and experience. The team members are required to attend Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS) Training as part of maintaining a demanding training schedule in order to be active on the team. The team is operating with 8 medics and they have conducted eight

operations of various sizes since the beginning of October 2019. Six of these took place in 2020, and four since the pandemic was declared a national emergency and operations and training had to be modified.

Team members have worked on developing new tools and procedures including:

• Fire suppression from the “Bearcat” during high-risk calls. • Equipping and deconning members of the team for contact with potential COVID-19 patients and environments. • Enhanced hurricane response plan.

They have attended 12 regular training days and two weeks of SWAT school where they have provided medical support to the team and numerous students. They have also attended a half dozen training days that were highly modified due to COVID-19 and social distancing restrictions.