Tactical Operations Manual #29: Response to High Risk Law Enforcement Incidents
S.O.P #: TACTICAL OPERATIONS MANUAL : Response to High Risk Law Enforcement Incidents
Objective: To clearly define the specific roles, responsibilities, and procedural requirements for fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel when they are operating within the scene of high-risk law enforcement incidents.
Scope:
These tactical guidelines provide on-scene Incident Commanders with the necessary latitude to support law enforcement (LE) officers.
They enable the safe management of incidents involving mass violence based on the specific type of incident and the relative degree of danger involved.
The S.O.P ensures strict accountability when fire and EMS personnel are deployed into known warm/indirect threat zones.
Examples of Relevant incidents:
Hostage situations.
Police stand-offs.
Warrant apprehension.
Police raids.
Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI) or mass gathering events.
Civil unrest.
Acts of mass violence.
Active assailant/threat incidents.
Pre-Planned or Static LE Deployments
Notification Procedures for Pre-scheduled STANDBY SWAT Details:
Notification originates directly from the Tactical Unit or law enforcement agency via the ADO (Apparatus Deployment Officer) to EMS .
Notification includes "Initial Briefing Location and Briefing Time."
Alternatively, the Tactical Unit may request EMS to contact them directly for details.
ADO Responsibilities Upon Receiving Information:
The ADO must collect the location, special requests, and the callback name/number of the requesting officer.
The ADO notifies the on-duty EMS- via landline as soon as practical.
If the standby occurs on a future shift, the notified EMS- must pass the information to the appropriate shift personnel.
Officer Authorities and Communication:
The EMS- Officer on duty during the actual standby is the determining authority for assigning specific units.
EMS- notifies the appropriate EMS District Officer of the event and pertinent details.
Once units are selected, EMS- notifies the ADO.
The ADO contacts the on-duty BC (Battalion Chief)/DC (Division Chief) via landline to apprise them of assigned units.
Logistics and Dispatching (The -Minute Rule):
Approximately minutes prior to the scheduled briefing time, the EMS Officer and Medic Unit are placed "out of service" on a detail code.
This prevents units from being assigned to other incidents.
The ADO manages transfers or standby details to maintain area coverage.
The EMS Officer reports to the briefing location to gather intelligence.
CAD and Radio Procedures:
After the briefing, the EMS Officer provides the ADO with a "staging location" (closest intersection or landmark).
The ADO enters the incident into the CAD using the staging location as the incident location.
Incident Remarks Field Requirements: Must state "NOT FOR OVER AIR DISPATCH" with no verbal or tone alert.
The EMS Officer contacts the affected Station Officer via landline to instruct the Medic Unit to report to the staging location on the appropriate divisional talk group.
Time-Sensitive and Time-Critical SWAT Details
Time-Sensitive Details:
Similar to pre-planned details, the call comes into the Fire ADO from the Tactical Unit.
EMS- remains the determining authority for unit assignment.
If EMS- is committed to another incident, the on-duty District Officer for the event is contacted via landline.
If both are unavailable, the ADO assigns an EMS Supervisor and Medic unit, notifying EMS- and the District Officer as soon as possible.
Time-Critical Details:
Received via landline from the Tactical Unit or directly from on-scene police units via CAD request.
The ADO uses best judgment based on location to assign the first-due recommended Medic Unit and EMS Officer.
Tactical units are dispatched to the staging point identified by the police unit.
On-Scene Operations and Hostage Situations
Operational Security (OPSEC):
EMS Officers must maintain security and share information only on a "need to know" basis with other fire resources.
Portable radios remain on the divisional talk-group.
Radio transmissions should NOT be used to convey intelligence; face-to-face or cell phone contact is preferred for sensitive info.
Deployment and Care:
The EMS Officer deploys to a safe forward position at the direction of the Tactical Unit Supervisor.
Casualty Care: Limited/Life-saving care is provided at the Casualty Collection Point (CCP). Advanced care is provided inside the medic unit during transport.
Scenes must be de-escalated and demobilized immediately after SWAT operations conclude.
Hostage and Barricade Scenarios:
Closest EMS Officer is dispatched to report to the police Incident Commander (IC).
The EMS Officer acts as the fire department liaison, gathers intelligence, and requests needed resources via the divisional talk-group operator.
Response to Active Threat Incidents (ATI)
Definition (Department of Homeland Security): An active threat incident involves individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area using firearms, explosives, vehicles, fire, chemical, or biological agents.
Purpose of Response: To provide coordinated dispatch, reduce provider risk through pre-planned response/matrices, and enhance rapid triage, treatment, and transport of critically injured patients.
Rescue Task Force (RTF):
Structure: Mixed asset team (FD + Law Enforcement for force protection).
Composition: - fire department personnel with one designated team leader.
Deployment: Into the "warm zone" to provide rapid lifesaving treatment and victim evacuation under potential indirect threat.
PPE Requirements: Ballistic PPE, Turnout Gear, or Universal PPE as determined by the IC.
Equipment: Triage Response bag or ballistic vest with medical equipment; each member must have a portable radio.
Deployment Matrix and Roles by Arrival Order
st In Suppression Unit or Chief Officer (Incident Commander):
Establishes command in a safe area and develops an Incident Command Structure.
Requests MCI response if multi-casualty status is confirmed.
Establishes Unified Command with Law Enforcement.
Identifies and announces the staging area.
Interfaces with police OIC to determine RTF/Threat zones and resource needs.
Monitors for hazardous materials/IEDs (Requests Haz-Mat if needed).
Implements Level II accountability to prevent self-deployment/freelancing.
st Arriving EMS District Officer (Medical Group Supervisor):
Reports to the Command Post to coordinate with the fire OIC.
Determines RTF staging, coordination, and deployment areas.
Establishes the Casualty Collection Point (CCP) in the warm zone and Casualty Transfer Point (CTP) on the exterior.
Notifies EMRC of the incident and possible patient count.
Coordinates access/egress points and ensures at least one standby evacuation team is ready.
nd Arriving Suppression Unit and nd EMS District Officer (Medical Branch):
Assumes Medical Group Supervisor role.
Collects/assembles Rapid Triage bags.
Assigns Triage, Treatment, and Transportation Group Supervisors.
Assigns an assistant for strict patient tracking on accountability sheets.
rd Arriving Suppression Unit (Staging Officer):
Manages apparatus and personnel staging areas.
Conducts a safety sweep for Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
Groups FD personnel into RTF teams of -.
Prepares supply cache: BLS supplies, Reeves sleeves, backboards, SKED boards, and stair chairs.
Considers alternative transport (e.g., Brush units, Fire Apparatus) and recycling transport units.
th Arriving Suppression Unit (Support Engine):
Assumes Point of Entry Control and establishes Level II accountability.
Maintains the Point of Entry Control Board (entry/exit times).
Ensures the backup RTF team is in place before entry is allowed.
Patient Flow and Triage Guidelines
THREAT Acronym Priorities:
Threat suppression (primarily Law Enforcement).
Hemorrhage control.
Rapid Extrication to a safe area.
Assessment.
Transport.
SALT Triage Method:
Sort.
Assess.
Lifesaving Treatment.
Transportation.
Treatment and Movement Principles:
Only life-saving treatment (hemorrhage control, sealing chest wounds, primary airway control) occurs in the CCP or warm zone.
Critically injured patients (requiring life-saving intervention) must be transported immediately; transportation should not be delayed for non-critical reasons.
Rapid transports by-passing the treatment area must be recorded via radio to dispatch and the on-scene IC.
Response Profiles and Resource Alarms
First Alarm MCI:
Battalion Chief (BC).
EMS District Officers (with notification to EMS ).
Suppression Units (Engines/Truck/Tower/Rescue).
Transport Units (any level).
Safety Officer.
SORT .
Command Engine.
Additional Alarms MCI:
BC.
Suppression Units.
Transport Units.
District Officer.
Potential Additional Resources:
BWI MCI Trailer.
Baltimore City MCI Trailer.
Howard County & Anne Arundel County multi-patient buses.
MSP Helicopters.
Logistics Vehicle (BLS supplies).
Hazmat units.
Notification of Medical Directors.
Fire Department Operational Zones and Key Terms
Hot Zone / Direct Threat: Operational area with a direct or imminent threat to health or safety (e.g., area where the active assailant is operating). Primary zone for LE "Contact Teams."
Warm Zone / Indirect Threat: Operational area with potential indirect threat. Movement into this zone requires unified command identification and Fire Department IC approval based on LE intelligence.
Cold Zone / Evacuation Zone: Area outside the hot and warm zones where personnel can operate safely without threat.
Casualty Collection Point (CCP): Area outside the hot zone (usually in the warm zone) protected by LE cover/concealment for gathering casualties and providing rapid trauma assessment and life-saving care.
Evacuation Team: A fire department team specifically deployed to move victims from the warm zone to a safe zone.
Unified Command: Established under the Incident Command System (ICS) when multiple agencies share responsibility; involves a single command post with representatives from each agency.