FeedbackCollaboration Is a Life-Saving Asset for the Police and Community
Concord, CA (October 18, 2011) – John Muir Medical Center, Concord, emergency room physicians Hartwell Lin, M.D., and Russell Rodriguez, M.D., have advanced into a new level of emergency medicine: working side-by-side with the Concord Police Department’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team.
Their primary role is to rapidly deliver advanced on-scene emergency medical care. The doctors also serve in a “team physician” capacity during training drills and operation planning by providing medical advice on health risks and potential for injury. In addition, they also train members on how to provide care for themselves in the event that the physicians are not able to reach them.
“Concord Police Department’s SWAT team is constantly looking for ways to improve officer safety and, at the same time, make our service to the public as safe, effective and efficient as possible,” said Lieutenant David Hughes of the Concord Police Department. “Our SWAT Docs, as they are known by the team, are board-certified emergency physicians with special training in providing medical care in uncontrolled environments. As such, they are able and equipped to provide a higher level of medical care during critical situations.
“Bringing the skills and experience of a tactically-trained medical professional directly to the field of duty greatly reduces the time it takes to provide emergency medical treatment to wounded officers, civilians or suspects. When seconds count, this can mean the difference between life and death,” said Hughes.
“Traditional emergency medical services (EMS) cannot operate within the perimeter set by the police,” said Dr. Rodriguez. “By having us deployed with the team, we will be able to respond much more quickly to an injured team member or civilian, and provide immediate stabilization and treatment until the injured can be extricated from the scene and transported by our county EMS. “
To prepare for this role, both physicians completed specialized training in tactical medicine. Training instills tactical medical care providers with a clear understanding of law enforcement protocols and tactics, including weapons training and specialized medical procedures. The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards (POST) and the State of California Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) provide oversight, regulation and standardized training recommendations for tactical medicine programs.
“A tactically-trained physician is a huge morale and confidence booster for our team, knowing that emergency medical care will be almost immediate, and provided by a familiar teammate in whom they have complete trust. Also, if there is an incident where a suspect or bystander becomes injured or ill, Dr. Lin and Dr. Rodriguez would be in a position to help them,” said Hughes.
Except for large metropolitan areas, it is relatively uncommon to find local physicians and surgeons trained as volunteer SWAT Docs. “There have been other efforts in Contra Costa County to have medical back up that have not come to fruition,” said Dr. Lin, chief of staff at John Muir Medical Center, Concord. “Other municipalities may have a licensed paramedic or similar medical component on their SWAT teams; however, Concord will be the first in Contra Costa County that has physicians providing medical back up for their team.”
“We believe it is important to give back to the communities we live and work in as physicians,” said Dr. Lin. “As emergency physicians, options for us to volunteer on an ongoing basis are limited. We were quite moved by the Oakland Police Department tragedy in 2009 where four officers, including two SWAT officers, were killed. The skill sets we have are a perfect match to provide immediate, tactical medicine services to our community via Concord SWAT.”
