New Equipment Aids Strongsville EMS In Active Shooter Situations

STRONGSVILLE, OH — Two pairs of ballistic helmets and vests have been awarded to the Strongsville Fire Department by Cuyahoga County. By giving out the equipment, the county wants EMS personnel to have quicker access to wounded victims that need immediate care, but are stranded in non-secured areas.

Armed with this new protective equipment, EMS personnel can now be escorted by police into a dangerous situation, where victims may be wounded. AJ Aljabi, Strongsville Fire's assistant chief of operations, said this equipment will help in active shooter situations.

"Studies found that victims were bleeding out while waiting for EMS to go in," he told Patch. This equipment will allow EMS to enter a non-secured area.

Strongsville Fire crews have been training for active shooter scenarios for about three years, according to Aljabi. That has meant running situations with Strongsville Police and SWAT members. "We have our own policies and our own strategies that we hopefully never have to use," he said.

However, Strongsville's policies are modeled on the Rescue Task Force design, which is want Cuyahoga County officials want all fire departments to adopt. Aljabi is excited by the development, saying for years individual fire departments worked on their own policies and their own strategies for dealing with these scenarios. Now, with county and state support, there is a push for unity of policy.

That will mean departments are better able to share information and aid during crisis.

Only departments that either have adopted or will adopt Rescue Task Force policies were eligible for the equipment from the county. Strongsville is one of about 40 cities in the region to receive the protective equipment.

“We are proud to play a significant role in this important public safety initiative,” said County Executive Armond Budish in a statement. “The purchase of this safety equipment will help our local medical and law enforcement personnel provide critical medical care to victims more quickly to increase chances of survival.”

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