EMS Tactical Remote Assessment and Surrogate Care

Excerpt

When operating in a hostile environment, whether in a military or civilian setting, the tactical medical provider’s (TMP) priority is to assess the situation and optimize their safety and the safety of others. Once any threats have been neutralized or temporarily suppressed, the next priority is to contact the casualty, get them out of direct fire or away from the direct threat, and apply for aid without sustaining further injury to the casualty or TMP. Given the nature of tactical medicine, the degree of safety at which the TMP will operate will vary widely. In cases where direct care of the casualty is impossible, remote assessment and surrogate care are essential. The TMP must be able to direct casualties to perform a rapid medical evaluation on themselves or other casualties and then guide them through the initiation of life-saving treatment. This process may occur through direct (ie, face-to-face) contact or indirect contact via bullhorn, radio, or other telecommunication devices. These methods may need to be sustained until the immediate threat is neutralized, or the casualty can be removed from the hot zone to an area of cover or a formal casualty collection point (CCP).