Tactical Emergency Medical Support

The goal of Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS) is to assign its members to Littleton Police SWAT operations for the enhancement and accomplishment of their primary mission. Missions include, but are not limited to:

• Hostage situations;
• Acts of terrorism;
• Warrant service;
• Dignitary protection;
• Civil unrest;
• Assist with other tactical teams.

The TEMS team brings advanced medical treatment into areas previously too perilous for less equipped Emergency Medical Service (EMS) medics. Each TEMS medic is equipped with a firearm, tactical vest and helmet, medical supplies and specialized training.

SWAT training includes, but is not limited to:

• Lethal weapon training
• Cold weather exercise
• Searching scenarios
• Vehicle assaults
• Range training
• Dignitary protection

TEMS training includes:

• Cold weather medical
• Incident command
• Forcible entry with fire department tools
• Burn building and Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) training for police officers
• Hyperthermia/environmental medicine
• Hazardous materials decontamination for police officers
• Wound ballistics
• Sensory overload/deprivation medical assessment

Some of the objectives of the TEMS team are:

• To provide aid to sick and injured citizens and victims within the tactical arena.
• To reduce illness, injury, and death among SWAT team members during missions and training.
• To act as a liaison between SWAT members and other fire or EMS responders including hospital personnel.

All TEMS member must complete a Counter Narcotics Tactical Operations Medical Support basic training program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense. This is a rigorous 56-hour class covering SWAT tactics and EMS in the SWAT action environment. Each member is required to attend no less than 75 percent of all training. At a minimum, members are required 8 hours per month of SWAT and TEMS training with the Littleton Police Department SWAT team. Littleton TEMS are also members of the National Tactical Officers Association, and the Rocky Mountain Tactical Team Association.