Chapter 12

Examining Response to Violent Incidents

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Introduction

• The most significant threat of violence to emergency responders is terrorism

• In 2001, a single incident took 343 firefighters, more than three times the annual average of LODDs

• It is imperative that a risk-benefit analysis be built into all violent incidents through standard policies and procedures

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Life Safety Initiative 12

National protocols for response to violent incidents should be developed and championed

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TERRORISM

• Weapons of mass destruction

• Overview

• Kill or injure as many people as possible

• Many different forms

• Chemical

• Military origin

• Simple industrial chemical

Cont.12-4

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TERRORISM

• Weapons of mass destruction

• Biological

• Been proven effective as a weapon

• Radiological

• Successful attacks are rare

• Need radiological dispersal device (RDD)

Cont.

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TERRORISM

• Weapons of mass destruction

• Nuclear

• Unclear how many ingredients needed are available

• Explosive

• High yield explosives especially dangerous

Cont.12-6

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TERRORISM

• Secondary devices

• Planned into the attack

• Emergency responders

• Easily targeted

• Part of equation

• Procedures needed

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JOB DESCRIPTION

• Overview

• Establish a job description

• Responding to emergencies

• Duty and desire to protect lives and property

• Create standard procedures for response to violent incidents

Cont. 12-8

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JOB DESCRIPTION

• Assisting law enforcement

• Lead agency

• Tactical EMS (TEMS)

• Extricating patients

• Little attention given

to minimizing injury

12-9Courtesy of Lt. Rob Gandee

Life Safety Initiative 12

STANDARD PROCEDURES

• Uniforms

• Look like a firefighter

• Protective equipment

• Proper PPE

• NFPA 1500

• Body armor

Cont. 12-10Photo courtesy of The Daily Dispatch, Henderson, NC

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STANDARD PROCEDURES

• Training

• Size-up

• Positioning

• Self-defense

• Evasive maneuvering

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TYPE OF INCIDENT

• Civil disturbance

• Preparation

• Response

• Firefighting

• Crowd control

Cont.12-12

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TYPE OF INCIDENT

• School or public shooting

• Overview

• Wait until law enforcement clears the scene

• Staging

• Protection

• Triage and treatment

Cont.12-13

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TYPE OF INCIDENT

• Bomb threats and possible bombs

• Apparatus dispatched

• Suspicious device

• Detonation

• Standard procedures

• Must keep pace with changing needs

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TYPE OF INCIDENT

• Animals

• Dangerous dogs

• Poisonous snakes

• Africanized honey bees

• Alligators

12-15Courtesy of Steve Hildebrand

Summary

• When it comes to violent incidents, we need to have a solid plan in place

• Vital that we define our duties, plan our response, and train for the execution of our action plan

• Must provide the needed logistics and tools for the activities that fall into our scope

• Identify outside resources to provide what we can’t• Need to be able to dispense knowledge efficiently

through the use of standard procedures12-16