Fire department outlines Tactical Emergency Medical Services plan; commission asks for edits before final approval
June 12, 2026 | Marshfield, Webster County, Missouri
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Lieutenant McNamera and Lieutenant Hamill told the Marshfield Police and Fire Commission that a Tactical Emergency Medical Services (TEMS) unit would embed paramedics with the Special Response Team to provide immediate trauma interventions — airway control, hemorrhage control and rapid triage — in situations where traditional EMS cannot safely reach patients.
"We're there to save lives, plain and simple," Lieutenant McNamera said, describing TEMS responsibilities that include medical threat assessments, pre- and post-deployment screening and advising incident command on medical evacuation routes.
Presenters said candidates would need to be certified paramedics, complete a 40-hour tactical emergency medical course and demonstrate basic weapons familiarity and scenario-based training to operate safely alongside entry teams. The department said it would prepare a memorandum of agreement, secure medical direction, draft operational protocols and include future budget requests in the next budget cycle.
TEMS personnel, presenters said, would not self-deploy; they would respond only when the SRT commander activates the special response team, and mutual-aid callouts would bring TEMS members with entry teams under the host command. The department noted several regional agencies already use similar models and that local collaboration would continue through mutual aid agreements.
Commissioners praised the collaboration but raised editorial concerns about definitions (for example, the use of the term "operator," which some commissioners said can carry private military connotations) and asked for explicit language about use-of-force and liability. The commission asked staff to run Procedure 510 by the city attorney, incorporate definitions and return a revised policy at the next meeting for formal approval.
The presentation did not produce a final policy vote; commissioners endorsed advancing the proposal with requested edits and legal review.
"We're there to save lives, plain and simple," Lieutenant McNamera said, describing TEMS responsibilities that include medical threat assessments, pre- and post-deployment screening and advising incident command on medical evacuation routes.
Presenters said candidates would need to be certified paramedics, complete a 40-hour tactical emergency medical course and demonstrate basic weapons familiarity and scenario-based training to operate safely alongside entry teams. The department said it would prepare a memorandum of agreement, secure medical direction, draft operational protocols and include future budget requests in the next budget cycle.
TEMS personnel, presenters said, would not self-deploy; they would respond only when the SRT commander activates the special response team, and mutual-aid callouts would bring TEMS members with entry teams under the host command. The department noted several regional agencies already use similar models and that local collaboration would continue through mutual aid agreements.
Commissioners praised the collaboration but raised editorial concerns about definitions (for example, the use of the term "operator," which some commissioners said can carry private military connotations) and asked for explicit language about use-of-force and liability. The commission asked staff to run Procedure 510 by the city attorney, incorporate definitions and return a revised policy at the next meeting for formal approval.
The presentation did not produce a final policy vote; commissioners endorsed advancing the proposal with requested edits and legal review.
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