Pittsburgh Paramedics to Join SWAT Teams

Paramedics trained in tactical operations are joining Pittsburgh SWAT officers on calls, a move that brings the city up to date with others across the nation.

The 14 tactical medics, equipped with ballistic vests and medical supplies, began accompanying SWAT after finishing training in May. They used to park about a block away from the scene. Now, they are much closer and can go into structures with officers, said Emergency Medical Services District Chief Scott Everitt.

"If something occurs, we can get paramedics to treat somebody in less than a minute," said Everitt, a proponent of the idea since taking a tactical training class 16 years ago.

The medics carry combat gauze with a chemical that can quickly stop bleeding; collapsable stretchers in case someone needs to be dragged or carried out; and other gear, Everitt said.

"It means an awful lot. If someone becomes critically injured, seconds are important," said city SWAT Officer Jeff Garris.

The April 2009 shooting deaths of three police officers answering a domestic disturbance, and a subsequent standoff with the shooter, prompted the department to review its policies, including SWAT operations.

"Anytime there's a traumatic incident like that, it's going to force any organization to look at its best practices. ... As far as we're concerned, the program is what we've been seeking for a very long time," Garris said.

Both the North Hills Special Response Team and the Critical Incident Response Team for the South Hills Area Council of Governments have tactical medics. Nationally, medics have become a common part of SWAT teams, said Andrew J. Scott, a former Boca Raton, Fla., police chief and SWAT commander who is now a police consultant.

"I'm just surprised they've taken this long to initiate the concept, but the fact is that they did; they shouldn't be criticized for it," Scott said.

EMS put out a request for interested paramedics about two years ago. The paramedics passed a physical agility test and went through 80 hours of police tactical training and eight hours of medical training. The training will continue next month when Pittsburgh hosts the Pennsylvania Tactical Officers Association conference, Everitt said.