Central Oregon emergency responders acquire ballistics vests, medical kits for ‘active threats’

Published 5:45 am Thursday, September 28, 2023

Central Oregon emergency medical responders are equipping themselves with bulletproof vests to protect themselves and medical kits intended specifically to treat victims during active-threat situations.

Fire departments across the region are now receiving dozens of vests and kits as a result of a $37,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

They are a vital tool, given the nature of the job. In active-threat situations, emergency medical personnel must locate victims, provide immediate care to injured people and get them to safety quickly. But the emergency responders can easily become a target, too.

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“The more time you spend in the hot zone, the greater the risk is for damage or danger to yourself or people you’re trying to treat,” said Nathaniel Adams, a firefighter/paramedic with the La Pine Rural Fire Protection District.

Sunriver Fire Department Capt. Benjamin O’Keefe applied for the federal grant on behalf of the Central Oregon Active Threat Committee, a group of emergency responders from across the region that was formed in 2019 to create standardized plans for these incidents, including situations where a gunman is still on the loose.

O’Keefe said authorities have just received the first round of equipment and more will be distributed in October. He said authorities will apply for another grant in December.

First responders said this equipment is a critical part of preparing for tragedies that they say are becoming more frequent in communities across the country.

“I think it’s a reality in today’s society that an active threat scenario can happen in any community,” said Tim Craig, deputy chief of operations for the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District, which he said will soon receive the equipment.

Already, emergency medical personnel are using the equipment in active-threat training sessions with law enforcement agencies.

The medical kits include anything authorities would need to treat people. That includes scissors, gauze, tourniquets, chest seals, needles, litters and webbing for safely moving patients out of a dangerous area to receive care. Each kit can treat up to four patients.

The kits will be identical in each fire department that receives them. Authorities said this is important because, in active-threat scenarios, emergency responders need equipment that is familiar to them, allowing them to rely on their training as they make rapid decisions in chaotic situations.

“Even the best laid plans tend to come off the rails when you add chaos to the situation,” said Craig, who added: “When we’re talking about seconds that can mean life or death, we can’t be fumbling.”

Authorities pointed to a number of recent incidents that have amplified the importance of such equipment.

In July 2022, a 30-year-old man allegedly stole an AR-15 rifle at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds and led law enforcement officers on a chase through Madras. He tried to shoot eight people along the way, prosecutors said, but the gun jammed. It’s unclear if he ever fired a round. Police shot him and then arrested him.

In August 2022, a 20-year-old gunman with an AR-15-style rifle opened fire on shoppers inside a Safeway on Bend’s east side, killing two people before turning the gun on himself.

In November 2022, a 34-year-old man allegedly retrieved a firearm from his vehicle after a dispute over a pool game, and fired shots in the air before fleeing. Authorities — including a SWAT team — responded after receiving a report of an active shooter and arrested a suspect later that night.

“The reality is that these events are happening more and more frequently,” said Adams.

Authorities said that having consistent equipment will make them better able to work together in large-scale emergency situations and will provide extra support should they need it.