The Cherry Hill Fire Department EMS Division along with its EMS Medical Direction staff from Cooper University Hospital and the Cherry Hill Police Department have taken their training to a whole new level. They are the first fire/EMS agency in the State of New Jersey to implement an active shooter-rescue task force response in conjunction with the police rapid intervention model to place EMS personnel at the patient’s side in an elevated risk environment. They have developed guidelines, protocols and practices for use in the high-risk environment of active shooter incidents. This training was specifically implemented to address what could possibly be the greatest threat for mass casualty — the well-armed, well-supplied lone gunman who is willing to or intends to die in the act of killing and injuring others, included fire and EMS responders.
The three-day training consisted of multiple sessions; culminating at the Camden County Police Firing Range; challenging the first responders with aggressive patient care interventions while functioning in an environment of elevated threat and live fire.
The Rescue Task Force is a departure from the traditional “stage and wait” practice. As police officers move to neutralize the threat, EMS personnel are escorted to the victims to initiate basic life-saving skills, including hemorrhage control, airway care, and evacuation to a safe and secure treatment area. Understanding that time to care is the key to saving lives, EMS personnel must get into the scene of an active shooter as quickly as possible to provide rapid stabilization.
The Rescue Task Force is essentially a simple response model made up of multiple four-person teams that move forward into the unsecured scene along protected corridors to provide stabilizing care and evacuation of the injured. Each team consists of two police officers to provide front and rear security and two EMTs to stabilize patients using Tactical Emergency Casualty Care principles and equipment. In addition to the security of the escorting officers, these EMTs are outfitted in ballistic vests and helmets to further mitigate the risk of operating in this environment.
The training accomplished and the interagency cooperation required for this program is a testament to the continued professionalism and advanced training commitment maintained by both the Cherry Hill Fire Department and the Cherry Hill Police Department.
For any additional questions, from a media outlet, please contact EMS Chief Randall McCargar at the Cherry Hill Fire Department (856) 795–9752.
