Citation

Rothschild HR, Mathieson K. Prehosp. Disaster Med. 2018; 33(5): 495-500.

Affiliation

A.T. Still University,Mesa,ArizonaUSA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Cambridge University Press)

DOI

10.1017/S1049023X18000730

PMID

30168405

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated how Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) training prepared law enforcement officers (LEOs) with the tools necessary to provide immediate, on-scene medical care to successfully stabilize victims of trauma.

METHODS: This was a retrospective, de-identified study using a seven-item Fairfax County (Virginia USA) TECC After-Action Questionnaire and Arlington County (Virginia USA) police reports.

RESULTS: Forty-six encounters were collected from 2015 through 2016. Eighty-four percent (n=39) of the encounters were from TECC After-Action Questionnaires and 15% (n=7) were from police reports. The main injuries included 13% (n=6) arterial bleeds, 46% (n=21) mild/moderate bleeds, 37% (n=17) large wounds, 20% (n=9) penetrating chest wounds, and 13% (n=6) open abdominal wounds. One-hundred percent of officers reported success in stabilizing victim injuries. Seventy-four percent of officers (n=26) did not encounter problems caring for a patient while 26% (n=9) encountered a problem. Ninety-seven percent (n=37/38) answered Yes, the training was sufficient, and three percent (n=1) indicated it was OK.

CONCLUSION: This is the most comprehensive study of TECC use among LEOs to date that supports the importance of TECC training for all LEOs in prehospital trauma care.

RESULTS of this study showed TECC training prepared LEOs with the operational tools necessary to provide immediate, on-scene medical care to successfully stabilize victims of trauma. Continuing to train increasing numbers of LEOs in TECC is key to saving the lives of victims of trauma in the future.Rothschild HR, Mathieson K. Effects of Tactical Emergency Casualty Care training for law enforcement officers.

Language: en

Keywords

ACPD Arlington County Police Department; AS active shooter; C-TECC Committee for Tactical Emergency Casualty Care; EMS Emergency Medical Services; FCPD Fairfax County Police Department; LEO law enforcement officer; MCI mass-casualty incident; TCCC Tactical Combat Casualty Care TECC Tactical Emergency Casualty Care; hemorrhage; law enforcement officers; mass-casualty incidents; prehospital emergency care; tourniquet