Page 126 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Spring 2014
P. 126
C-TECC Update
E. Reed Smith, MD, FACEP; Geoff Shapiro, EMT-P;
David Callaway, MD, MPA
rogress on the widespread application and operational implantation of TECC as the standard for high-threat
Pcivilian operational medical response continues to grow. In the past 6 months, presentations on and discussions
involving TECC implantation have been held at senior state, regional, and federal levels. TECC, especially in its
implantation for active shooter/active killing response, has been openly endorsed by the International Association
of Fire Fighters (IAFF), International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), and the Urban Fire Forum, and was empha-
sized in the recent USFA Active Shooter Resource Document.
International Association of Fire Fighters
http://www.iaff.org/Comm/PDFs/IAFF_RTF_Training_Position_Statement.pdf
International Association of Fire Chiefs
http://www.iafc.org/files/1ASSOC/IAFCPosition_ActiveShooterEvents.pdf
Urban Fire Forum
http://www.nfpa.org/research/resource-links/first-responders
United States Fire Administration http://www.nfpa.org/~/media/Files/Research/Resourcelinks
/Firstresponders/UrbanFireForum/UFFactive_shooter_guide.pdf
These endorsements have led to many first response agencies examining how TECC can be implemented into their
high-threat response protocols. We have also seen the creation of several TECC training programs by various train-
ing entities. As a whole, Committee for Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (C-TECC) supports implementation of
the TECC guidelines into every first response agency’s protocols and SOPs for high-threat medical response. Pre-
developed courses provided by vendors are one way to be trained in TECC; the committee also strongly encourages
agencies to develop their own in-house training for personnel on the TECC guidelines and how they fit into existing
and new protocols. To clarify, there is no official TECC certification, no official TECC provider course, and no
official TECC instructor or course regulation. As such, TECC courses do not currently need to be “approved” or
“certified” as long as the intent and application of the medical care continue to follow the guidelines. The C-TECC
Board of Directors continues to examine methods to support and delineate quality TECC training.
TECC was designed to be a set of medical recommendations for application in areas of high threat. These recom-
mendations are not dogma; although the individual guidelines cannot be changed, the entire set of guidelines does
not have to be adopted en bloc. Each agency should adopt only the guidelines that fit, taking into account their
agency mission, provider education, provider scope of practice, and specific agency protocols. Essentially, the guide-
lines are a set of bricks. Each entity should take only the “bricks” that are agency-appropriate to build a “building”
that is unique and specific to that agency. TECC resources are available on the C-TECC website (www.c-tecc.org)
with more forthcoming, and the committee and its members are eager and willing to help any agency develop and
implement such training and operations.
The C-TECC held its semiannual full committee meeting on 16 December at the 2013 Special Operations Medical
Association (SOMA) Scientific Assembly in Tampa, FL. Although limited to only a half-day session to allow Com-
mittee members and guests to participate in the afternoon SOMA session on explosive mass casualty, all of the
agenda items were accomplished in what amounted to another very successful meeting.
We were fortunate to hear a fantastic presentation by Trooper Christopher Dumont of the Massachusetts State Po-
lice agency, who was the primary medical provider for Officer Richard Donahue, the Boston Transit police officer
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