In recent years, the world has faced new kinds of disasters, often on larger scales than those in the past. As a result, first responders, including law enforcement professionals, need new capabilities, as medical and search and rescue duties expand the scope of what police are sometimes called on to do.

Mass shootings are a well-publicized phenomenon, and data suggest they are on the rise. And while they are not as common as many other crimes, these crises leave a wider trail of bloodshed than the more frequent, smaller occurrences of violence, as shown by recent attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Natural disasters also appear to be a growing threat across the world. Wild-fires, for example, have done greater than average damage over the past few years, with last year’s Camp Fire in California burning more than 155,000 acres, making it the largest wildfire in the state’s history. Police joined firefighters and other responders in battling the blaze and assisting with search and rescue efforts. In addition, many local police officers lost their homes during the fire. Additional recent disasters include a deadly mudslide in Myanmar; flash floods in Brazil; and a cyclone in southeast Africa, among many other natural crises.

As the landscape changes (sometimes literally), experts are reimagining and redesigning products, from tactical to medical, that can help police respond to new and emerging threats without adding unnecessary burdens to officers’ already-heavy equipment footprint.

Tactical

Sometimes, the difference is in the details. If a seemingly minor component of disaster response can provide even a small advantage in time or utility, that can spell the difference between a favorable outcome and a more serious problem.

That kind of thinking is evident in the ladders created by Telesteps, a British Columbia–based manufacturer. Used by responders in the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks in Paris, France, among countless other situations, the ladders are durable, yet easy to deploy, use, and store.

“It’s big when you need it, and it’s small when you don’t,” said Julie Reeves, a Telesteps spokesperson. “It fits in the trunk of a car and weighs about 30 pounds, and it’s easy for men and women to use because of the size and weight.”

The company’s 1800EP extension ladder stretches up to 14.5 feet. The 1600ET extends to 12.5 feet. Both are made from aircraft-grade aluminum, have a patented one-touch release, and fit in the trunk of a car. When folded, the ladders are designed to be carried under the arms, which helps prevent injuries.

Another compact tool, unmanned aerial systems, also known as drones, are gaining popularity in the public safety sector and beyond. Surveillance is a popular application for the vehicles; tasks related to disaster response are another. Public safety drones created by FLYMOTION, based in Tampa, Florida, are developed for the latter.

“It’s a 24-7 response to disaster and emergency response. You get a 360-degree picture from above,” said FLYMOTION CEO and Co-founder Ryan English. “You can detect a possible leak, you can drop CO2O-activated life preservers or first aid kits.”

English emphasized the scenario-based immersive training FLYMOTION provides to users. More than simple instructions in how to operate the vehicle, the immersive training is intended to impart full proficiency, so that users can take advantage of all the vehicle’s functionality when faced with real disaster response.

“In an emergency, your motor skills are going to be stressed, so it’s critical to know how to use [the technology],” English said. “Our folks train agencies not only to understand the technology but to be proficient.”

The need for effective training illustrates that successful disaster response occurs behind the front lines, well before any disaster occurs. Another element of this pre-disaster preparedness is ensuring that equipment is properly tested and operational well before it is needed. For example, in many jurisdictions, law enforcement may need or use respirators more so than in the past.

In the event that police need respirators, they must be fit tested at least annually and whenever a new respirator is acquired. That may be relatively new territory for police compared with their fire and EMS colleagues.

“With law enforcement, I don’t know if they’re as properly trained in respiratory protection as fire,” said Craig Simmons, international sales manager for OHD, LLLP, a manufacturer based in Hoover, Alabama.

According to Stephanie Lynch , OHD’s product manager, the company’s Quantifit fit tester can conduct the test three times faster than its competitors. “The Quantifit is different because we use air as the actual challenge agent, which is good because air is everywhere,” Lynch said. “So it’s measuring the actual leak instead of measuring a concentration of particles.”

When a ground response is preferred, the Guardian GT was built to fit the bill. A human-controlled, two-armed robot, the Guardian GT is designed both for heavy lifting and precision-oriented tasks. The robot can move heavy rocks and other debris in a controlled manner, perform fine-motor operations like cutting or drilling, and even erect temporary shelters or assist with evacuation.

“The Guardian GT is a first-of-its-kind large-scale industrial exoskeleton robot that provides both strength and dexterity for the operator,” said Kristi Martindale, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Sarcos Robotics, a developer based in Salt Lake City, Utah. “It can manipulate payloads of up to 1,000 pounds and can be tele-operated, allowing the operator to feel the scaled forces experienced by the robot arms using Sarcos’ proprietary high-fidelity force reflection technology, whether the operator is riding inside the robot or not.”

Sarcos also manufactures Guardian S, a smaller robot that weighs only 17 pounds but can still perform a diverse array of jobs relevant to law enforcement. “The Guardian S can provide advanced surveillance capabilities following a disaster, accessing dangerous or hard-to-reach places and removing law enforcement and disaster recovery workers from harm’s way through the its tele-operating capabilities,” Martindale said. “It can search for survivors under rocks or damaged infrastructure, detect the presence of harmful gases or other substances, and enable two-way real-time communication between the human operator and the robot.”

Medical

Many law enforcement agencies are likely familiar with tactical combat casualty care (TCCC). Developed through the U.S. Department of Defense, TCCC is a collection of techniques and strategies designed for trauma care in a military context, which has been adapted for use in public safety.

Given the emerging threat posed by mass shootings, trauma care has taken on new importance and, according to experts, is now due for an evolution that matches the kinds of tragedies that all modern police are preparing themselves to face.

“We’re moving away from Band-Aids and ice packs. Now we’re more on what it takes to save lives, and that must incorporate more medical,” said David Rice, program manager for public safety with North American Rescue, headquartered in Greer, South Carolina. “We’re beginning to think differently about active shooters and active threats. In a lot of places, it’s still pretty old school. You have firearms training in one silo and medical in another. It should all be taken together.”

North American Rescue offers products designed for law enforcement, military, and other industries, from airway management to ankle trauma, including what Rice said is an industry-leading tourniquet, the Combat Application Tourniquet, which can fully restrict blood flow and can be operated with one hand.

Different tools for stopping blood flow are particularly important, Rice said, given the short time intervals that can spell the difference in high-casualty scenarios. “If we are going to save people, you have about 3–5 minutes,” Rice said. “You have to factor in response times and making the scene safe. If the first officers on the scene don’t have medical on their minds, people are going to die.”

Another medical supply company, Tactical Medical Solutions, supplies many police agencies, including the New York City Police Department and the Los Angeles, California, Police Department, with a menu of medical products designed specifically for the field.

“Time is ticking off the clock, and you can’t just wait for the ambulance anymore,” said Dan Stout, a training and sales consultant for Tactical Medical Solutions, which is based in Anderson, South Carolina. “You need to start thinking in terms of 25 or 30 casualties.”

Among the company’s more popular offerings is Tramedic, an advanced first-aid kit designed for wall mounting, similar to a fire extinguisher or AED. There are also special items designed for efficient evacuation, including the Foxtrot Litter, which is small enough to affix to a bag or other kit.

The company also offers its own tourniquet models, which Stout suggests should be a standard part of the officer uniform. “We encourage individual officers to keep the tourniquet or hemostatic agents on their belts,” Stout said. “So when they get away from the car, they have the ability to take care of themselves or their brothers and sisters.”

When crises occur, whether brought about by human hands or nature, police officers are going to be on the front lines of response, alongside other emergency services. Having the right tools at hand and ready to go can improve response times, increase effectiveness, and save the lives of both those being rescued and those doing the rescuing. d

Please cite as

Scott Harris, “New Kinds of Disasters Call for New Kinds of Disaster Response,” Product Feature, Police Chief 86, no. 6 (June 2019): 54–55.