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By EMS1 Staff
BRANSON, Mo. — TCAD Paramedics purchased ballistic body armor for its paramedics.
Taney County Ambulance District (TCAD) paramedics were measured for their new gear earlier this year, and each unit comes with an under-the-uniform carrier or an over-the-uniform carrier. TCAD Paramedics noted in a press release that the agency purchased this equipment to provide an additional layer of protection for personnel safety and in the event of an emergency, such as an active shooter scenario.
The goal of this new gear is to enable paramedics to reach victims sooner, according to the release.
The agency began discussing the body armor purchase over two years ago. This investment required adequate time for research, budgeting and sizing each paramedic. Paramedic crews are not required, but are encouraged, to wear the gear on every call. TCAD has developed a list of dangerous situations, based on its existing call triage system, that will alert paramedics to scenes where they need to wear the body armor.