February 18, 2019 – Last week, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) presented a three-day Tactical Medical Instructor Course at Santa Fe College’s Institute of Public Safety. Each student learned to mitigate the loss of life while in an evolving threat environment, such as an active-shooter situation. The course is based on a model developed by the U.S. Department of Defense known as Tactical Combat Casualty Care.
“This first-rate training will prepare law enforcement officers to handle critical incidents when equipment is limited, medical personnel are not available, and there is a prolonged time to evacuation,” said Helen Legall, who serves as Advanced and Specialized Training Coordinator at IPS. “This is training that truly saves lives.”
Officers from as far away as Pembroke Pines and Orange Park attended the no-cost course. Other agencies included Gainesville Police Department, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, University of Florida Police, Starke Police, Gainesville Office of the State Attorney, Florida Fish and Wildlife, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
IPS has hosted FLETC courses since 2015, providing free training to law enforcement agencies that otherwise would not have access to such high-caliber professional development. FLETC is a division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. IPS Director Tom Ackerman was based at FLETC during the final six years of his federal career.