When police charge into an active crime scene where there are casualties, firefighter-paramedics long have had to wait on the perimeter until officers deemed it clear for them to enter and treat victims, reports the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
But now there is an elite group of Santa Cruz firefighter-paramedics trained in law enforcement tactics — a team that can enter what police call “warm zones,” where a threat is not necessarily eliminated but it is safe enough to render aid.
“We will be closer to our police officers and providing emergency care where we haven’t in the past,” said Fire Battalion Chief Mike DiTano.
Leading emergency responders say having police and fire officials with medical training working together increases the likelihood of saving lives for first responders and community members. The need for such a team has existed in Santa Cruz for years but was brought into sharp focus after the February 2013 shooting deaths of detective Sgt. Butch Baker and detective Elizabeth Butler.
While having a tactical team would not have saved the detectives after a sexual-assault suspect ambushed them, a tactically trained firefighter-paramedic team would have been able to enter the scene closer to the team of responding officers. As it was, firefighters were staged nearby and ended up running for cover when the suspect charged officers with two guns blazing. He was killed when officers fired back.
“You can certainly see the need for that following the loss of Baker and Butler, especially when you have an armed suspect who circles back to ambush the emergency responders,” Deputy Police Chief Rick Martinez said. “Having a team protected and capable of responding will hopefully increase response times.”
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