Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1337158
SiG MT 34 Because all three agencies are funded through tax-dollars, each must annually make their case for funding, particularly any increases that they'd like for launching new programs. Since CCSO, GFFR , and GFPD have all been around since the late 1800's, the agencies have plenty of experience dealing with limited budgets. As a result, they have recently increased aempts to share resources and boost interagency cooperation. e three public-safety agencies working together have resulted in the Joint Arson Task Force, Violent Crimes Prevention Task Force, HIDTA, and many others. However, Rescue Task Force operations have come to the forefront in recent years as a model of cooperation between the three agencies. Rescue Task Force (RTF) evolved from involvement in large-scale incidents of violence and mass shootings, requiring a change in first responder mentality. Previously, fire department paramedics and EMT's would wait in a staging area, away from an incident of violence, until law enforcement personnel neutralized the shooter(s) and deemed it safe for them to enter. While this was effective at preserving the crime scene and the lives of some first responders, it failed to appropriately address the needs of the wounded. Slaughter said, "ere's more to an active killing incident than just stopping the shooter. An emphasis needed to be placed on treating and removing critically wounded from the warm zone." says Slaughter. Rapidly Evolving Needs, Resource Sharing, and Interagency Cooperation With that in mind and expertise shared from the personnel of all three agencies, RTF was developed, trained, and implemented, becoming the standard for response to large incidents in Great Falls beginning in 2018. Under the Rescue Task Force program, GFFR medics and EMT's outfied with ballistic helmets and vests are escorted into warm zones at violent scenes under the lethal overwatch of law enforcement personnel. us, they are able to treat or evacuate critical patients that CCSO Deputies, GFPD Officers, and GFFR Firefighters working together and doing heavy lifting during the buddy aid portion of Rescue Task Force Training. Learning from the experts is an essential component of success at high risk, low frequency events. Here, first responders are emergency lifts and carries by a couple of men who have "been there, done that."