Active entry, or support roles only

[*** CDN BACON ***]

As a sworn officer and the team medic I have made entry...typically...I am kept to a position/job on the exterior (driver, ladder, breaching team, containment)...as someone mentioned the medics ability to help anyone if they get wounded is lessened

[DCMed124]

PRPG... drop me an email. I'll hook you up with the guy that used to run tems in bucks.

It's my understanding EMS can't carry in PA, so they're supportive only.

Personally, I wouldn't stack unarmed, but that's just me.

[matt202]

My problem is that if you make the tactical medic unarmed you put them out of the danger area and then the question is how do you get them in? The team may well have a man down so who's going to escort you? If you are armed for you own protection you are part of the team not just an add on.

[Dustdevil]

If you have the manpower to escort the medic in, you probably have the manpower to escort the patient out. That should be their priority. A medic at the victim's side isn't going to do much good if he can't get him to definitive care.

And giving the medic a gun (which, by the way, I am not fully opposed to) isn't going to get him to the patient's side any faster.

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

PRPG... drop me an email. I'll hook you up with the guy that used to run tems in bucks.

It's my understanding EMS can't carry in PA, so they're supportive only.

Personally, I wouldn't stack unarmed, but that's just me.

EMS cant carry on the squad, but...its not a squad without the cot.

...thats all im sayin.

Also, check your email, and thanks bro.

PRPG

[*** CDN BACON ***]

we have practiced our evac drill in a confined area (house / apt.)and frankly....the guys in the stack will have returned fire and scooped the downed officer and started to move before I could possibly hope to come from the back of the stack....a body moving forward in a confined house while a dozen are moving back possibly shooting may just Cx chaos...the downed officer comes to you....and then you move...this obviously isn't chiseled in stone

[matt202]

"If you have the manpower." Big question, especially when you may well be one, two or more down as a result of the firefight. If the medic is armed they can operate as part of the team, within the team. Giving them a gun means they are at the sharp end, not at the last point of cover and concealment. Under these circumstances I do think that an armed medic will get to the patient quicker as they are closer and may not need escort. As to getting the patient to definitive care, it's difficult to generalise on the wide variety of scenarios you may be faced with, but remember that any rescue needs planning and the best plan may be to hold off on the rescue and deal with the bad guy. It may well be that you are stuck with your patient. Aggressive early intervention may be all they require at this stage. If you are there you can make assessment/treatment decisions regarding your patient and if you are lucky provide definitive care. Dragging them back through the team may not be necessary. Safest thing may be to just hold in cover, communicate what you've got and let the team deal. Big thing for me is that the medic needs to be within the team. If you are at the sharp end, everyone within the team should be able to protect themselves.