An active shooter will be roaming the grounds of a Tamworth school on Thursday, as local paramedics gear up for a new age threat.
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The training exercise will see Tamworth’s 12 strong Rescue Unit team take on a tactical operation at Farrer, training them to support police in the case of an armed shooter or act of terrorism.
Rescue Unit Instructor Callum Dickson said Ambulance NSW have had to focus on training units on these matters ever since the Lindt Cafe siege in 2014.
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“We are being trained to support police and other authorities in tactical operations,” he said.
“We have all the same gear like ballistic vests and helmets so we can move forward and essentially be in there with them.”
The Rescue Unit are the primary response team for rescues of all varieties locally, including car accidents, rope and height scenarios and search missions.
“We work as regular paramedics on the road but are also specially trained in these other skills,” Mr Dickson said.
“We couldn’t send paramedics with regular training into real and active scenarios like this.”
