Written and distributed to share information about the progress of the development of competencies to be used by first responders.

1. Mission: Strengthen the lifesaving capabilities of tactical medical responders worldwide.
Tactical Emergency Medical System(TEMS) WorkshopTackles Standardized
Competencies andCurriculumand Creates aNational TEMS Council (Provisional)
Wilmington,NC(CoalitionforTactical Medicine) August29,2011 – Highlytrainedandexperienced
tactical emergencymedical personnel fromparamedicstophysiciansgatheredrecentlyinDumphries,
Virginia,August2-4to participate inaworkshopdesignedtoestablishastandardizedTEMScurriculum.
Additionally,participantsagreedtocreate a National TEMS Council (NTC) whichwill focusonresearch,
policy,liaison,future TEMSagendaand leadershipissuesatthe National level.
“A standardizedTEMScurriculumwill allow foragencies,jurisdictions,andotherstoknow that those
trainedbysuch a curriculummeeta standardrequiredbythose inthisdemandingfield,”said Program
DirectorPhilipCarmona,“Itwill allowcurrenttrainingprogramstocrosswalktheirrespectivecurriculum
againsta standard that hasbeenformulatedbyaknownbodyof subjectmatterexperts.”
More than fiftyinterested,experiencedparticipantsattendedincludingpolice,fire,andEMS
organizationsaswell aslocal,state andfederal jurisdictions,the Departmentof HomelandSecurity,
Healthand HumanServicesandDepartmentof Defense. Workshopattendeesreviewedeighteeninitial
competencyareasandvoted(required2/3majority) toinclude,exclude and/oraddtothe existing
document.All participantsandlatersmall groupsdugdownintolifesaving,essential skillsetsneededby
tactical medicsandoperatorsto eventuallyagree onseventeencompetencycategories.Upcoming
meetingswillfocusonteamcommanderandmedical directorskills.
Workshopleaders RichardSchwartz, Directorof The National TEMS Initiative (NTI) andInterimChairman
of the Council alongwithPhilipCarmonaProgramDirectorandco-chairsDr. Craig Llewellyn andRichard
Carmona,the 17th SurgeonGeneral of The UnitedStates,helpedcoordinate the workshopandcreate
the agenda.
“The vastmajorityof goalswere attained,”saidCarmona.“A significantmilestone hasbeenreachedin
the ‘story’and actualizationof tactical medicineorganizationinthe conveningof TEMS medics,
operators,medical directors,administratorsandresearchersfromdiverse jurisdictionsandagencies
across the UnitedStates.”
Priorto the Augustworkshop,several of the attendeeshadparticipatedinsimilarinitiativesand
historically,attemptstounifytactical medicine have failed.However,asterrorismthreatsandincidents
have grownand the ongoingconcernfor national preparednessandsafetygrows,acritical needfor
TEMS unificationacrossall lineshasbecome increasinglyapparent.
The NAEMSP (National Associationof EMSphysicians) andthe NDLSF(National DisasterLife Support
Foundation) sponsoredthe eventthroughCDC-TIIDEandunrestrictedfundingrespectively.
A follow-upmeetinghasbeententativelyscheduledjustpriortothe December2011 Special Operations
Medical Association(SOMA) conference inTampa,Florida.Formore informationcontactPhilipCarmona
at (706) 721-3314.