Appleton Fire Department (Fox 11 Online)
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – While the possibility always exists, responding to an active shooter or mass casualty situation is something local law enforcement, fire and EMS hope never happens.
The call comes in, first responders react. Police, fire and paramedics race to the scene.
But a call on Friday, to Thrivent, was not really an emergency, instead it was a drill.
“We train like we fight, right? Our job is inherently dangerous just by nature, it’s just the way it is. So, we want to make sure that we’re prepared for all of the scenarios that way if it a worst case scenario we know how to handle it effectively and efficiently,” said Alex Quintana, public education specialist with the Appleton Fire Department.
The Appleton Fire Department hosted a multi-jurisdictional RTF or Rescue Task Force training. A rescue task force is a specially trained group of firefighters and EMS paramedics that partner with law enforcement to respond to an active threat.
The training giving paramedics and EMS workers an opportunity to practice their medical skills in a high pressure, high stakes setting. Law enforcement on-hand to clear the way for those first responders to be able to get to work, just as if this were a real emergency.
According to Quintana, “They clear the rooms, they do it in a certain situation. We are along to not only make sure they are okay if something were to happen or if they were to encounter a threat, but also as we are seeing patients. Then, we don’t have to worry or take the extra precaution about our safety because PD or law enforcement is going to let us know if there’s a threat to us.”
While this type of training is primarily for paramedics and EMS, law enforcement agencies say working with first responders from other agencies and disciplines is critical for them as well.
“We all kind of train these things individually in our own agencies and stuff but it’s really nice to be able to work with the people that we’re actually going to be working with if something like this were to happen and kind of test what our response is going to be like,” added Lt. Michael Gostisha with Fox Valley Metro Police.
Taking the lessons learned from the training to better prepare, should the real thing ever happen.
Comments