TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — This week, law enforcement officers collaborated with emergency medical personnel in a high-intensity active shooter drill aimed at enhancing response times and saving lives during mass casualty events, which are becoming more frequent.
The joint exercise, called Active Shooter Hostile Event Response (ASHE), is designed to enable EMS to enter scenes more swiftly to deliver crucial medical care alongside law enforcement, rather than waiting for the area to be declared secure.
“What we know is that if you train the way you’re going to work, when the real thing happens, it becomes second nature,” said Logan Lane, director of public safety at Tallahassee State College.
Lane said the traditional model of EMS waiting for a scene to be secured before entering cost valuable time.
“Past history, EMS with Fire Rescue had to wait until the room was cleared… so imagine how much time was lost, director of training operations at the University of Miami, Al Brotons said.
The approach is already proving effective. First responders in Tallahassee used ASHE training when a gunman opened fire at Florida State University last month.
“Our young officers today are more likely to respond to one of these than in the past,” Lane said. “We have to prepare them. It’s constantly evolving. After Florida State or Uvalde, we go in and incorporate what we’ve learned.”
In Ybor City, the training brought together agencies from across the region, including the Tampa Police Department and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The simulated scenarios emphasized fast, coordinated action in chaotic environments.
“Unfortunately, these types of incidents are becoming too prevalent in our society,” Lane said.
Officials said the goal is clear: when seconds count, seamless coordination between EMS and law enforcement can make the difference between life and death.
