Maui EMS Training Center Provides Police with Tactical Medical Training

After treating a simulated patient, police officers evacuate him to
safer ground during a tactical medical course at the Maui EMS Training Center. Courtesy photo.

Maui Maui Now Staff

The Maui EMS Training Center conducted a Law Enforcement First Response – Tactical Casualty Care (LEFR-TCC) course on Maui in April, with plans to offer additional courses for the law enforcement and EMS community in the future. This course on Maui was the first time LEFR-TCC program has been offered in the state of Hawaiʻi.

The LEFR-TCC course is certified by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, and was developed in Colorado, in collaboration with the Denver Health EMS and the Denver Police Metro/SWAT team.

Teaching the Maui course was David Kingdon, Assistant Professor with KCC EMS and a paramedic with Maui County EMS/AMR.  He was joined by Aaron Pitt and Douglas Barbieto, both adjunct faculty with KCC EMS as well as paramedics with the Federal Fire Department on Oʻahu and members of the Hawaiʻi Army National Guard.

These Hawaiʻi instructors had been trained to teach a suite of tactical medical classes during a December seminar with Bill Justice, a nationally renowned tactical paramedic.

Participating in the inaugural course were several officers from various local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies serving Maui County. In both classroom and hands-on instruction, officers were taught critical life-saving skills that could stabilize an injured responder or citizen until paramedics could safely enter a tactical scene. Law enforcement officers were also taught how to quickly evacuate patients to areas where paramedics could continue treatment and initiate transport.

The Maui EMS Training center is part of the University of Hawaiʻi, is located at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College, and is affiliated with Kapiolani Community College’s Department of Emergency Medical Services.

In an evaluation following the course, officers reportedly praised the program for this opportunity to train with EMS responders and officers from other agencies. They reported that the skills they developed would help them to manage not just tactical incidents, but other emergencies as well.

Individuals interested in future classes should contact the center at (808) 244-4063.