APD officers receive specialized medical training from ATCEMS

Austin police officers, who are often first on scene, learn from EMS how to handle gunshot wounds, stab wounds, and other types of trauma.

SAN MARCOS, Texas - ATCEMS is providing Austin police officers with combat medical training.

According to paramedic Andrew Huitt, ATCEMS has long had an informal training relationship with the department. Huitt says the relationship became official this year.

As of Friday, 250 Austin police officers had received combat medical training from ATCEMS. Officers were taught how to best respond to gunshots, stab wounds and other trauma.

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APD confirmed that 25-year-old Douglas John Kantor died from his wounds.

Officer Travis Von Holt, a patrol officer in the city’s northeast quadrant completed the training Friday. "Seconds do matter when it comes to someone who has a life-threatening injury." said Von Holt.

Ken Casaday, president of the Austin Police Association, said officers who responded to the 6th Street mass shooting went through the training weeks before the incident.

14 people were injured and one man was killed in the shooting. Medics had a difficult time accessing the busy nightlife district, leaving police officers to render aid. Some officers transported patients to the hospital in their own patrol vehicles.

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ATCEMS Association President Selena Xie joins Mike Warren to talk about what options there are to improve response in the Sixth Street area.

"I think that example shows that this training is effective. We had officers that were doing excellent assessments on individuals applying tourniquets where necessary. Applying direct pressure where effective and managing people’s airways… and helping to identify people that needed to be evacuated immediately." said Huitt.

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