via ITS Tactical.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Chiefs now support the Rescue Task Force (RTF) concept. From what Dr. Callaway was saying, this is a big deal as it talks about equipping FD personnel with body armor and sending them into the “warm and hot zones”, which has been almost unheard of up until now. Read the NFPA document Here. There’s a department in California that is actively looking to issue body armor and helmets to their firefighters/paramedics but the only holdback currently is funding.Fire Fighters have been able to roll into the roughest neighborhoods in America with little fear because residents all over recognized that they are there to help. Now we're seeing them "body armor" up.
I wonder if that will change the dynamic, make them viewed more as law enforcement and put them in the line of fire. I tried to check but couldn't find any info...how many times have fire fighters been the subject of assault? How many times have them been involved in shootings and does this make sense? What the fuck is the "Rescue Task Force Concept"?
I don't know.
What I do know is that this is either extremely ominous or something that should have happened long ago.
Time will tell.
From my experience, most of these guys are simply pretending they're on SWAT team. They'd wear body armor to their kid's piano recital if it was socially acceptable.
ReplyDeleteI work as a paramedic, and there's a lot of medics who insist on wearing armor. Why, I can't figure out. It's hot, uncomfortable, and it likely won't do shit if you're shot with a high-powered rifle, or in the head. Most importantly, a vest won't do shit if you don't have the ability to SHOOT BACK. Your assailant will simply keep shooting until you go down or he/she runs out of bullets.
What blows me away the most is these guys are the same guys that don't wear gloves when starting IVs. People in EMS are far more at risk for stuff like Hep C or HIV than they are a stray bullet. Actually, if a paramedic or EMT dies of a gunshot, its more than likely self-inflicted, thanks to high levels of PTSD in the profession.
I think it would only warrant only if they were directly supporting SWAT or ERT teams such as Paramedics or EMT's. Other than that, it's a BAD idea
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