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Ala. deputy/paramedics train to improve rural EMS care

Launched in 2012, the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Medical Unit has grown from four to 14 cross-trained deputies

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Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Medical Unit deputies participating in pediatric emergency medicine training from UAB/Children’s Hospital.

Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook

TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, Ala. — Nearly 30 Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s deputies are also certified paramedics, enabling the agency to send cross-trained first responders to emergency medical calls in addition to routine law-enforcement duties.

WBRC reported that at a recent training, deputy paramedics practiced a low-angle rescue by securing a patient and moving them to safety. Because the patient can’t walk, deputies drilled the safest, most efficient way to transfer them to a rescue vehicle.

“Your ambulance may be 45 minutes out. A deputy who’s a medical deputy may only be 15,” Andy McGee, a trainer with the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, said. “We’ve saved 30 minutes by cutting it from 45 to 15 minutes, where we now have someone on scene that has all the advanced life support that an ambulance has.”

The Medical Unit program requires extensive training, including physically demanding coursework, according to the sheriff’s office. The unit was launched in April 2012 to deliver rapid ALS medical response. It started with four deputies and now fields 14, working closely with volunteer fire departments when staffing is thin.

Deputies assess, treat and prepare patients for transport until relieved by equal or higher-level medical personnel. The unit also handles crashes, mass-casualty events, domestic calls, burglar alarms and other crimes, and assists other agencies. Teams typically work Monday–Friday.

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Bill Carey is the associate editor for FireRescue1.com and EMS1.com. A former Maryland volunteer firefighter, sergeant, and lieutenant, Bill has written for several fire service publications and platforms. His work on firefighter behavioral health garnered a 2014 Neal Award nomination. His ongoing research and writings about line-of-duty death data is frequently cited in articles, presentations, and trainings. Have a news tip? He can be reached at news@lexipol.com.