UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
MARYLAND FIRE AND RESCUE INSTITUTE
BULLETIN JANUARY - MARCH 2025 VOL.55 NO.1
TRAINING TO PROTECT THE PROTECTORS “Officer down!” rang out through the hallway at MFRI. Equipped in tactical gear, first responders swiftly moved into action searching for a “victim” while protecting themselves and each other from potential assailants. A medic located the victim and then immobilized and evacuated his “wounded” counterpart on a stretcher. “Ok,” calls out one of the instructors. “What went right?” This is Counter Narcotics and Terrorism Operational Medical Support training, better known as CONTOMS. Designed to protect the protectors, the weeklong, 56-hour tactical training program teaches emergency responders to work as a team through simulated crisis situations. Bringing together fire, rescue, EMS, police, military, and medical providers, the training is taught and trialed in low light, confined spaces, or with smoke billowing to replicate real-life scenarios.
situations or in disaster zones.
The training at MFRI culminated with responders rotating through scenarios in the dark, in 20-degree temperatures, implementing the skills they learned. CONTOMS is a nationally standardized certification program created in 1990 through a partnership between the U.S. Park Police (USPP) and the Department of Defense Medical School. Since its inception in 1990, more than 10,000 first responders have completed CONTOMS, training to respond more effectively in hazardous situations such as active shooter events, civil unrest, hostage
During the recent CONTOMS training at MFRI more than 70 trainees were led by 15 instructors. Participants included U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Park Police, SWAT teams, and EMTs. Marines volunteered to roleplay as victims. The program also includes didactic lectures and labs, and concludes with a written test. CONTOMS participants are selected for the program and must retrain every three years to maintain their certification. To find out more about the program, visit: www.contoms. chepinc.org. Photo: In February, more than 70 first responders took on Counter Narcotics and Terrorism Operational Medical Support (CONTOMS) training at MFRI.