SAFER Meeting Minutes

October 21, 2022

SAFER Board Attendees: Pres. Quinn, Seely, Media Rabe, Vender Liaison Sposado Past Pres. Gurrola

Newport Beach Fire Department – Marina Park Community Center

1600 West Balboa Boulevard, Newport Beach, CA 92663

Program: Ventura City Fire Dept. ASHER PROGRAM (Active Shooter Hostile Event Response)

Captain Eric Mukes & Engineer Eric Craddock

0943 Meeting called to order – B/C Scott Quinn

**Thanks to AllStar Fire Equipment for morning hospitality.

Flag Salute led by – B/C Montano

Committee Reports:

Vender report:

Joe Sposodo – No shows in California, recommends attending the FDIC meeting in Indianapolis. Price increases on PPE materials (mostly from DuPonts supply chain issues).

CalOSHA – Discussion of recent injuries / reports / mayday situations (near-misses) Work-Comp issues related to industrial workplace injuries. Nothing from NFPA

Have your “workplace Violence response policy” updated and communicated to crews.

Apparatus : Nothing

Injury Prevention Program:

CA Prevention Committee meets next month. LAFD is involved in Female FF’s health impact study.

. Active Shooter / Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Program

NFPA 3000 (PS) Standard for an Active Shooter / Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Program

Insert PP Here

What are violent incidents?

· Any criminal offense that involves the use
or threat of force or violence

Types of violent incidents:

· Mass shootings

· Civil disturbances

· Domestic violence

· Gang violence

· Hostage situations

· Terrorism

o Bombings

o Chemical releases

· Suicides

PPE:

According to VCEMS Policy 628 – Rescue Task Force Operations, minimum PPE shall include:

· Fire Helmet

· Ballistic Vest

· Wildland Jacket or EMS Jacket

Survival Tiers:

Run, hide, fight
First care (stop the bleed)
Rapid deployment (stop the killing)
Deployment of RTF’s
Triage/treatment/transport
Definitive care

Stop the Bleed

ü Created by Homeland Security

ü National campaign similar to sidewalk CPR

ü Kits are co-located with AED’s in public places

Takeaways from Recent Incidents:

· Should be preparing for Acts of Violence calls

· Need to network with our LE/EMS

· One plan, is No plan

#1 take away (mental health)

First arriving resources:

· Past

1. LE secure perimeter

2. Wait for SWAT

3. Fire/EMS staged well out of area

4. Sometimes for hours

· Now

1. STOP THE KILLING (LE)

2. Neutralize the offender IMMEDIATELY

3. STOP THE DYING (using Fire/EMS)

4. Access victims and render life-saving care

Engage with force protection:

· Respond to safe Staging Area

· Unify Command (Fire/LE)

§ Unified objectives

§ Unified organization

§ Common communications

§ Establish zones

· Form Rescue Task Force(s)

§ Rescue teams with Force Protection

§ STOP the dying!

§ Speed saves lives

· Cleared: An area or building has been hastily checked for any threats but is not considered completely safe

· Secured: An area or building has been deemed clear of any threats and is considered safe

· Cover: An object that protects against projectiles, shrapnel, etc.

· Concealment: To be hidden from view of but not protected

· CCP: Initial point casualties are taken to, located in the Warm Zone.

· Contact Team: Initial contingent of LE consisting of initial first on scene responders. Their objective, neutralize the threat. This could involve one officer or many

· Force Protection: Force of LE that is designated to protect specific group, ie; Firefighters/EMS.

· RTF: Group comprised of LE and Fire/EMS designated to rescue victims

· STF: Group comprised of LE and Fire designated to objective related to fire suppression

Zones:

· Hot

· Area where the shooter(s) is or likely could be

· Warm

· Area where the shooter has been

· Contains victims

· Casualty Collection Points (CCP)

· Cold

· Area that is reasonably safe from the shooter(s)
and other hazards

· Treatment Area, Staging Area, Command Post

Casualty collection point (CCp)

· Located in Warm Zone

· Should have a CCP Manager

· Security/Force Protection

· Ensures “screening” is done

· Works with Medical Group for transport of victims
to Treatment Area

· May require additional RTF

CONTACT TEAM

· Form Contact Team

· Go after shooter

· Stop the killing

· Bypass injured victims

· Do not wait for
backup or SWAT

RESCUE GROUP

· Rescue Group Supervisor

· Assigned to either Fire or LE Branch

· Rescue Task Forces (RTF)

· Task Force Leader (TFL) typically from LE

· Assistant TFL from fire

Rescue Task Force

· Comprised of a minimum of one law enforcement officer (LEO) and two firefighters. The Task Force Leader (TFL) will be a LEO. The firefighter RTF members report to the Rescue Group Supervisor but are assigned to the RTF TFL.

Vehicle as a Weapon

Discussion of recent “Vehicle’s used as Weapons”

a. France “Bastille Day” attack

b. England

VBIED – Vehicle Born Improvised Explosive Device

Discussion of recent VBIED incidents

SUPPRESSION TASK FORCE

· Fire paired with LE Officers

· Force protection

· Does not assist with suppression

· Security and movement only

· Enter Warm Zone

· Suppress fires

§ Consider unstaffed fire streams

· Wear Ballistic Protective Equipment (BPE)

· Maintain Situational Awareness

TEMS Typing :

· FRO: Initial responders

· Complete agency specific course

· PPE

· Basic tactical medical care

· Technician: Advanced tactical medicine training

· Approved tactical medicine course

· Are NOT SWAT team members

· Specialist: Assigned to SWAT Team

· Approved tactical medicine course

· SWAT basic course

Types of injuries violent incidents

· Blunt

· Penetrating

· Burns

· Chemical

Gunshot Wounds

· Medium to high
energy weapons

· Damaged produced
by cutting or
crushing tissue

· May damage other
tissue/structures

Ballistics

· Projectiles incapacitate by damaging the central nervous system and/or by causing lethal blood loss

· Four components of projectile wounding:

1. Penetration

2. Temporary cavity

3. Permanent cavity

4. Fragmentation

Temporary Cavity

· The stretching of tissue caused by the transfer
of kinetic energy during the projectiles passage

Permanent Cavity

· The volume of space once
occupied by tissue that
has been destroyed by
the passage of the projectile

· A function of penetration and the frontal area
of the projectile

· Simply: the hole left by the passage
of the projectile

Fragmentation

· Pieces of the projectile or secondary fragments
of bone that are impelled outward damaging additional tissue

· Not present in every projectile wound
(even less so in handgun wounds)

Entrance and Exit

GSW Complications

· Chest Injury

Hemo / pneumothorax
Tamponade

· Great vessels

MARCH

· M- massive hemorrhage

· A- airway

· R- respiratory

· C- circulation

· H- hypothermia

Preventable causes of death in combat

· Blood Loss

o Extremity (compressible) hemorrhage

· 60% of combat deaths

o Internal hemorrhage

§ Tension pneumothorax

§ 33% of combat deaths

· Airway obstruction

o 6% of combat deaths

· Hypothermia

Blood loss

· Blood Loss (Adult has 5L)

· Over 40% (>2000 cc adults)

· Immediately life threatening

· 50% mortality rate in 15 minutes

· Blood pressure bottoms out

· Absent peripheral pulses

· Vital organs lack perfusion

Pneumothorax

· Causes

· Typically caused by
blunt trauma

· Broken rib

· Tear in the lung tissue

· Air escapes into the
pleural space

· May progress into a
tension pneumothorax

Airway obstruction

· Causes

· Position of head/neck

· Trauma to head/neck

· Blood

· Tissue

· Damage to trachea

HYPOTHERMIA

· Body temperature less than 95F

· Poor cardiovascular function

· Decreased pumping function

· Ischemia

· Cardiac dysrhythmias

· Myocardial Infarction (MI)

· Many trauma victims arrive at ER with
mild hypothermia

· Below 91F inhibits clotting cascade and promotes traumatic bleeding.

Extremity hemorrhage

· Treatment

· Stop the bleeding

· Direct Pressure

· Use pressure dressing

· Tourniquets

· Hemostatic Agents

· IV therapy

· Hemodilution

· Rapid transport to hospital

Arterial bleeding

· Death within 3 minutes

· Unconscious within
90 seconds

C-A-T

· Tourniquets (TQ) for extremity wounds

· Expedite transport for major internal bleeding

TQ Application

· Apply direct pressure

· Place strap around limb

· Hasty application

· Deliberate application

· Turn windlass until
bleeding stops

· Loss of distal pulse

TQ myth

· If you apply a tourniquet, you will
lose your limb

· Military research indicates ischemic complications are relative to the time the TQ is left in place

· Low risk

· 2 hours or less

· Life or Limb

Beyond 2 hours

Other bleeding control MEASURES

· Hemostatic agents

· Gauze dressings/other

· Packing deep wounds

· Groin

· Armpit

· Neck

· CA EMSA Approved Types

· Quick Clot Combat Gauze LE

· Quick Clot EMS Rolled Gauze 4x4
dressing trauma pad

· Celox Gauze Z-Fold Hemostatic Gauze

· Celox Rapid Hemostatic Z-Fold Gauze

Hemostatic agents

· How they work

· Assists in rapid localized coagulation and
the formation of a stable blood clot

· Does not absorb into the body

· Safe to leave in the wound until further medical care is available

Fluid Resuscitation

· VCEMSA only allows NaCl solution

· If hypotensive, avoid raising BP to “normal” can increase internal bleeding

· Maintain BP 80-90 mmhg

· TXA, Hextend, and blood are superior

EMS equipment for warm zone operations

· EMS supplies - “Light is Right”

· EMS Gloves

· Tourniquets

· Large trauma dressings

· Hemostatic agents

· Roller gauze

· NPA

· Open chest wound seals

· Triage ribbon

· BP cuff w/ Stethoscope

· Trauma scissors

VICTIM EVACUATION

· RTF’s move victims to CCP(s)

· Force protection

· Equipment

· SKED’s

· Carry-all

· Be creative

· Use of common
Lifts & Carries

Summary

· Unfortunately it’s not “if”, it’s “when” it will happen

· Any routine response might become a violent incident

· Threats are constantly evolving/emerging

· Continued Interagency training is a must

Capt (805) 339-4355

ROUNGTABLE:

B/C Montano Ventura City: New apparatus ordered, 6 stations, entry testing for laterals.

B/C Brown DFD - 5 new stations, fire at station 4, shuffled crews / apparatus to other stations.

Ventura City Fire – Hiring crews, new FC

Rick Griggs – Liaison Officer - Wildfire Defense Systems – Has customers throughout southern states. 300 suppression staff, (IAFF Local) discussed Insurance companies having to give break to homeowners who take measures to reduce their wildfire risk.

John Price (JP) LACoFD (Retired) – MES Representative, LACoFD – has interim FC in place, will be looking for a new FC.

Tim Ramirez – LAFD : Training Chief (x tower). Discussed impact of COVID-19 , electric fire engine (3 day training program) to be certified to operate.

Corona FD – Working on Active Shooter, Got a grant funding for several “squads” .

Planning to replace 2 fire stations, equipped Engines with Trauma Packs to support “SWAT Medics”

Koltekl- Ventura County (Retired) –

Scott Schwartz - Deputy FC (Retired) – Fire Technology Innovation Has a foam product to replace old materials that have caused health

John Tabacek VP Fire Technology Innovations

Charlette Young – Redsky Emergency Vehicles Ambulance Co. : Demers, Braun, Crestline, FR Conversions.

AllStar – Jeff Glanzrock – Regional Sales Manager ; Discussed new turnout improvements, now rep a new glove.

Phoenix Technology – 50 th anniversary (Phoenix Helmets)

Chad Selk – Applications Specialist – Greenfire Fire Suppressions Innovations - New Foam product that is safer to use than older products.

Carlsbd – Holding more academies to keep up with hiring

Tracy Rabe – Linegear Fire Equipment – Discussed new pack product that has been well received, a new “Shift Pack” is coming out (CalFire Inspired)

Louie Garcia – Sales Engineer – Velocity Fire Equipment Sales – Reps. Rosenbauer – Chief Kirk retired, Reps. Several popular brands of boots, PPE and fire apparatus.

Steve Harris – Air Exchange - PlymoVent – Staying busy, doing some upgrades to Ventura County FD., LACoFD stations.

Jeff Dart –Sales Specialist – Bauer Compressor – Rep.s several PPE elements for Bio , active shooter.

Jack Koltaj – Federal Fire (Retired) - Ventura County

Kieth Guroola – Fillmore FD, Introduced FF Robert Castro, Budget looking up for city of Fillmore, hoping to hire more “Paid positions” and radio equipment. Looking for PPE Less than full 1977 ensemble.

John Everlove Fillmore Fire – EMS Chief introduced

Next Meeting (November) Ventura County – CalFire Camp - SOLAR Panels , electric vehicles