Customer Reviews

Tactical Medicine: An Introductory To Law Enforcement Emergency Care

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

As a paramedic and Spec Ops medic, this book was a total waste. Anyone who doesn't have a far better understanding of tactical medicine (military or law enforcemennt) shouldn't be even thinking about operating in those venues.

The book is written unevenly, has poor quality photos, virtually no suggestions on techniques and very uneven coverage of equipment. There must be a better tactical medical book out there, for a start "Ditch Medicine" by Coffee is at least helpful, if somewhat dated.

This pamphlet achieves the aim of the author. Although there is some valuable anecdotal information contained within, there is no scientific validation (or references) to substantiate the statements made. Although most of the clinical information provided is not inaccurate, many of the suggestions are highly controversial and not generally accepted by the tactical EMS community. The author makes these recommendations dogmatically without referencing sources. I applaud the effort Mr. McDevitt has made in to an area of medical practice that needs to be written about, but would wait for a more professionally written source before purchasing.

Ian McDevitt who wrote this book also posts on a survival forum I regularly check. He is an arrogant jerk and has often given misguided information to people on the site. His book is filled with the same misguided and outdated information. Ian talks about his accomplishments but after a little research, you realize most of these are hyped up.

For example, all of his military experience was done in the reserves, not active duty. Ian makes it seem like he is a battle torn expert, spending his life in the trenches of war after war. His work on an ambulance as a paramedic is also questionable. Different summaries of this book give different year totals he has been a medic in CT. He brags on the forums about his 23 years in service but a quick search found he is a liar.

Taken from public records on CT DPH web site. He was an EMT-I till 1997 when he became an EMT-P. He has not been a medic for 23 years; not even 18 years as it claims on the books publishers website.

License Type: Paramedic
License Number: (Removed For Review)
Name: MCDEVITT, IAN M
Expiration Date: 9/30/2009
Granted Date: 10/1/1997
License Name: IAN M. MCDEVITT
License Status: Current
Disciplinary Action: None


Do not bother with this book.


Try Ditch Medicine if you are looking for a start in this field. The book is a little older but has much more useful content.

Mr. McDevitt's treatise on Tactical Medicine is just that - a treatise. Although he covered many areas of tactical EMS, most were just touched upon and certainly not enough information was supplied to educate uneducated or to inform the active practitioner. The book has no scientific references. It appears to be purely anecdotal. Any firm fact to be found there is interspersed with unfounded opinion. To the uninformed, the difference between fact and opinion would be difficult to sort out, to say the least.

This truly is just an introduction to Tactical medicine and I would only recommend this book to someone who has zero idea about what entails tactical medicine. This would be a good book for someone who is maybe interested in what a tactical medic does and what equipment they should carry. The book was very short and basic almost to the point of elementary.

Mr. McDevitt's treatise on Tactical Medicine is just that - a treatise. Although he covered many areas of tactical EMS, most were just touched upon and certainly not enough information was supplied to educate uneducated or to inform the active practitioner. The book has no scientific references. It appears to be purely anecdotal. Any firm fact to be found there is interspersed with unfounded opinion. To the uninformed, the difference between fact and opinion would be difficult to sort out, to say the least.

I suppose that I should spit out my resume as well: I was a combat medic with The Infantry. When I got out I obtained a paramedic license and a BS in Biology, then I worked heavy rescue, and after growing bored I joined the Los Angeles Police Department and currently work in South Central LA. That being said, the first forty pages of the book were put togeather in a very simple to understand and systematic manner.
Frankly speaking there was a great deal of filler information placed amongst the first half of the book, and i believe (from a tactics point of view) the second half of the book to be filler information as well. Notwithstanding my point of view as a medic, if I were a platoon leader looking for a guide to lay out the responsibilities of my medical support this book could not be better suited. I in fact sent the book to a LT in the National Guard. As the back cover of the book indicates this is also an excellent resource for an individual new to the medical field and looking for a specialty. This book provides the flavor of tactical medicine, and makes for a nice introduction to the field.

This pamphlet achieves the aim of the author. Although there is some valuable anecdotal information contained within, there is no scientific validation (or references) to substantiate the statements made. Although most of the clinical information provided is not inaccurate, many of the suggestions are highly controversial and not generally accepted by the tactical EMS community. The author makes these recommendations dogmatically without referencing sources. I applaud the effort Mr. McDevitt has made in to an area of medical practice that needs to be written about, but would wait for a more professionally written source before purchasing.

This book is a good reference for the Tactical First Responder Instructor. It gives a good overall view of operations and training. However I would have liked to have seen more on self care under tactical conditions. However as an instructor I have been able to adapt the material to self care. This type of training and the need for more advanced training is becoming more and more important to our law enforcement officers everyday.

I serve as the Medical Director, ALS provider, and entry medic for a four county, seven agency regional tactical LE organization, as well as direct and respond with 3 EMS agencies and 1 SAR unit. In addition to this, I also currently serve as Medical Director for the Nebraska Panhandle Public Health Board and as Physician Representative for the Nebraska Panhandle Trauma Board. I also serve as Medical Director for the national SAR team in Belize, Central America, and consult for that government regarding prehospital & village care issues. I have 25 years experience in military & civilian TEMS, EMS, Fire, Law Enforcement, & Technical Rescue. With that said...

Focusing on LE & urban TacMed, as opposed to military tactical medicine, it provides an excellent overview of the state of the art as it is understood today. This is not a comprehensive textbook of medical care that takes you from square one, but instead teaches the unique priorities, techniques, and equipment needed for this environment. As such, it either will be an overview and motivator to go and get training for those without a background in field medicine, or a specific reference for those with prior medical experience wanting to make the transition to the tactical environment.

It will also be an excellent resource for those needing ammo to take to Administration. It is small enough that an administrator could read it, if you can find one that can read. Otherwise there are pictures and lists, and you can point to them and say See, the book says so.

Seriously, this is going to be a handy reference for explaining the tactical medical environment to those not familiar with the concept, and immediately absorbable by those with prior medical training. Its a welcome addition to the sparse field of tactical medicine reference material.

To criticize this book for being "anecdotal" is to miss the point. It was intended to be such. This is not a text. It's an introduction and overview, illustrated by what works for the author. And anyone who feels that the material presented does not reflect mainstream thinking in the TEMS community, isn't in the current mainstream. This material represents cutting edge thinking, rather than the static material and curriculums still being taught in too many programs.

If you have an interest in this field, this is a great book. Buy it!