Tactical Medical Endorsement

[troglodyte]

I got a letter today from the RSD that said since I was a First Responder Instructor that I now am going to have a Tactical Medical endorsement added to my profile. A Power Point presentation is forthcoming to my email.

I never heard anything about this and this forum is pretty good about getting the heads up. Anyone know anything about this?

[Mike S]

Here's what little I know about it, & I am also waiting for the email with additional info. Once we're able to see the slides & materials we'll know if the below 'assumptions' are on- or off-base.
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BLUF: My gut feeling is it will be the same exact curriculum as the On-Duty 1st Responder Course, but with a different target audience.
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The Texas Legislature passed HB 4995 last session, which amended the same law that established the On-Duty 1st Responder Course. https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/b ... navpanes=0

After taking the course & receiving their certificate from the DPS, if during the course of their duties a Tac Med Professional enters an otherwise prohibited location while armed with a handgun, they would have:
- a Defense to Prosecution for 30.06 / 30.07 locations; &
- exemption from TPC 46.02 & TPC 46.03 )("does not apply..." is the language used)). The 46.03 statutorily prohibited locations like hospitals; schools; racetracks; courts; 51%; etc don't apply, BUT only if actually responding to an event there.
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So, in my estimation, at least according to what's in the legislation, nothing looks different from the 1st Responder Course.
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"Tactical medical professional" defined as:

(1) is a physician licensed under Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code, or emergency medical services personnel, as defined by Section 773.003, Health and Safety Code;  and

(2) is employed or otherwise appointed by the head of a law enforcement agency to provide direct support to a tactical unit of the agency responding to a high-risk incident by providing medical services to victims, officers, and other persons at the incident.

Reference: Section 411.1884, Government Code https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/government ... -411-1884/

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To further drill down on the "who's included" from subparagraph (1) above;

physician licensed under Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code
Subtitle B, Title 3 is lengthy & convoluted, but the gist is "The Texas Occupations Code (TOC) defines a physician as a person licensed by the Texas Medical Board (TMB) to practice medicine in this state, the terms "physician" and "surgeon" being synonymous"

Reference: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/?link=OC
((simplified version found here: https://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=4829 ))

- and -

"emergency medical services personnel" defined by Sect 773.003, Health & Safety Code

(10) “Emergency medical services personnel” means:

(A) emergency care attendant;

(B) emergency medical technicians;

(C) advanced emergency medical technicians;

(D) emergency medical technicians--paramedic;  or

(E) licensed paramedic.

Reference: https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/health-and ... t-773-003/ );