Each year, the number of active shooter incidents seems to climb. Hardly a week goes by without a broadcast reporting a gun-wielding assailant leaving behind a trail of victims. In 2023 alone, the Federal Bureau of Investigation designated 48 active shooter incidents. There were 50 in 2022.

With the number of mass shootings across America increasing each year, there is a growing focus on integrated response, placing paramedics and EMTs side-by-side with law enforcement when called to scenes of violence. As tactical medical response evolves to meet these growing needs, so does our medical equipment. But the restrictions that go along with tactical scenarios—namely, take only what you can carry—mean that each piece of equipment must be fundamental to the mission. There is no room for excess. Let's explore five things to include in your tactical trauma kit.

Preparedness is essential to trauma treatment, especially when you encounter catastrophic injuries in the field. Having the right supplies in your trauma kit allows you to care for patients and avoid needless treatment delays. 

Sooner or later, every first responder encounters a tactical medical scenario. These high-stress, high-stakes events demand a prompt and competent response. Some of the most common injuries include collapsed lungs, hemorrhages, airway obstructions, and emergency mental health issues. First responders themselves may also face dangers, so it’s important to plan to protect yourself, not just your patients. 

Emergency personnel and first responders are surrounded by a vast assortment of equipment every day. From cardiac monitors to suction units to airway supplies to IV medications—you name it, you have access to it on your rig or in your department.

It’s an expression so familiar that it seems ridiculous even to mention: a failure to plan is a plan to fail. This aphorism pervades for a reason: it’s true. If you don’t have basic trauma supplies on hand, you lose precious time when tending to patients. When lives hang in the balance, time is often the most valuable asset you have.

A school district in Ohio plans to make tactical trauma kits available in every classroom, beginning this fall. The kits are similar to those used on battlefields in Afghanistan and Iraq. It’s a decision that has some parents scratching their heads. After all, these are children, not soldiers. But injuries in school are rapidly increasing due to mass shootings and other tragic events. These tactical kits can and will save lives. Your agency may want to consider getting behind similar measures in your local school system. Having the right equipment can be a matter of life and death following a tragedy.