Tactical self-protection of emergency services
New challenges for authorities and organizations with security tasks
The topic of “security” and the associated questions of tactical self-protection of emergency services have been changing in many ways for several years.
Examples of reasons include:
- Classic conflicts between nations become conflicts between cultures;
- well-known confrontation mechanisms become asymmetrical;
- Perpetrators or groups of perpetrators can no longer be clearly identified;
- State authorities and also dangerous people are in an escalating state of technological upgrading;
- the subjective feeling of security deteriorates;
- organized crime is increasing;
- etc.
Clear separation is no longer possible
Nowadays, conflicts can no longer be distinguished based on narrow geographical or political boundaries: areas of conflict are often defined culturally or religiously. A conflict issue often affects several states or entire regions completely.
Furthermore, the division and identification of conflict parties is no longer possible according to classic criteria. According to international law, combatants can no longer be clearly distinguished from non-combatants, for example based on external characteristics and the way they act.
Another aspect: Dangers or perpetrators often come from the middle of society - their appearance and their approach and the timing of their actions cannot be predicted.
Nowadays, perpetrators of small-scale and organized crime are equipped with passive and active technological tools that enable them to be highly efficient in pursuing their goals. The financial and human resources required for official BOS organizations to keep pace here are enormous.
Military tactics and means are increasingly being used in the area of organized crime and terrorism. The German authorities in particular are forced to take this into account when training emergency forces in the area of internal security and to face the challenge of the constitutional separation from the area of external security.
Last but not least, it should be said that in previously relatively safe European democratic countries, more and more damaging events are occurring that are otherwise only known from civil war countries or war and disaster areas. It is important to prepare the emergency services psychologically and practically for such images.
Challenges for BOS organizations
The consequences of the factors mentioned above are: Authorities and organizations with security tasks (BOS organizations) must change their tactical planning, sensitize their emergency services to new dangers and, overall, deal with new operational challenges.
Target groups for training in the area of tactical self-protection for emergency services are, for example, relatives
- the municipal correctional service or community correctional service
- of the entire state and federal police force
- of the fire departments
- the emergency services
- of disaster protection organizations
- of humanitarian aid organizations
- etc.
A good education is the best insurance
Raising the awareness of emergency services about life-threatening operational situations is a high priority for all authorities and organizations with security tasks.
In addition to imparting theoretical knowledge, this requires training in realistic situations and cross-service and cross-organizational exercises.
After theory comes practice
At the TCRH Mosbach, education, training and regular training are in place realistic scenarios possible. The legal framework for this is provided by TCRH Training Center Rescue and Help GmbH.
The training offers of the TCRH and its partners offer members of BOS organizations in particular an efficient use of their training time.
Further information
- Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Risk Reduction (BBK): “Recommendation for self-protection for emergency services from disaster control and aid organizations during an operation after an attack (HEIKAT)”, https://www.bbk.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/BBK/DE/Publikationen/Broschueren_Flyer/HEIKAT_Handlungsempfehlungen.html
- Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Risk Reduction (BBK): “Population Protection: Medical Management of Special Situations”, https://www.bbk.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/BBK/DE/Publikationen/Publ_magazin/bsmag_2_17.pdf?__blob=publicationFile
- Lippay, Christoph / Pröhl, Mario: “Tactical self-protection in emergency services - recognizing dangers - reacting correctly”, Verlag Stumpf & Kossendey GmbH, ISBN 978-3-943174-97-7
- TCRH Mosbach: Education + training
- TCRH Mosbach: Tactical self-protection
- Oesterreich, Ken: “Violence against emergency services: Basics of structured self-protection”, W. Kohlhammer GmbH, ISBN 978-3170349339
- German Red Cross, Westphalia-Lippe Regional Association, “Information sheet on violence against emergency services”, https://www.drk-westfalen.de/fileadmin/Eigene_Bilder_und_Videos/Downloads/Notfallnachsorge/Merkblatt_Handlungshilfe_Gewalt_gegen_EK_kurz.pdf
- Thomas Mentzel / Isabel Schmitt-Falckenberg / Kirsten Wischnewski: “Intrinsic security and law”, Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), police and research, https://www.bka.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Publikationen/Publikationsreihen/PolizeiUndForschung/1_19_EigensicherungUndRecht.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3
- Köhler, Christian: “The importance of psychological self-protection in extreme situations and how to cope with them”, veko-online, https://www.veko-online.de/archiv-ausgabe-02-2016/674-psychologie-die-bedeutung-psychologischer-eigensicherung-in-extremsituationen-und-deren-bewaeltigung.html
- Preuss, Thomas: “Explosives and explosive attacks: detection and defense”, Boorbergverlag, ISBN 978-3415047099
- Nelson, G.: “The car bomb: How to properly search a vehicle”, ENFORCER Pülz, ISBN 978-3939700333
- Unconventional explosive and incendiary device (IED): https://www.wiki-fuer-schutz-und-sicherheit.de/wiki/Unkonventionelle_Spreng-_und_Brandvorrichtung
- German Red Cross, Baden-Württemberg State Association: “Unwelcome surprise: Dangers at the site,” http://www.baden-wuerttemberg.drk.de/arbeitsschutz//downloads/AiD-Schriftenreihe/2012/03%20Gefahren%20Einsatzstelle/2012-03_AiD-Info_Gefahren_Einsatzstelle.pdf
- Johanniter, “GEMAESS – CBRN danger situations”, https://www.johanniter.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/JUH/BG/Gefahrenlagen/CBRN-Titel_NEU.pdf
- TCRH Mosbach: Training for operations managers and staff training
- TCRH Mosbach: Second Hit and the protection of critical infrastructure
- TCRH Mosbach: Anti-Amok and Anti-Terror
Press articles
- “Violence against fire and rescue workers”, feuerwehr-magazin, https://www.feuerwehrmagazin.de/wissen/gewalt-gegen-rettungskraefte-wie-reagiert-die-feuerwehr-auf-angriffe-67641
- “Security: emergency services attacked”, official mirror, https: //www.behoerden-spiegel.de/2020/01/06/satzkraefte-angegreef/
- “Munich: 16-year-old drug dealer secures hiding place with booby trap”, Munich City Magazine, https://www.stadtmagazin-muenchen24.de/muenchen-16-jaehriger-sichert-drogenversteck-mit-sprengfalle-43940
- “Rescue forces: Attacks on emergency services – what does the legal reform bring?”, mdr, https://www.mdr.de/nachrichten/politik/gesellschaft/angriffe-feuerwehr-polizei-sanitaeter-gesetzesreform-schutz-100.html
- “Violence against emergency services: Almost 20 police officers are attacked in Berlin every day,” Tagesspiegel, https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/gewalt-gegen-einsatzkraefte-pro-tag-werden-in-berlin-knapp-20-polizisten-angegriffen/25424172.html
- “2.500 exercise participants at BWTEX 2019”, state of Baden-Württemberg, https://www.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/service/presse/pressemitteilung/pid/2500-uebungsteilnehmer-bei-der-bwtex-2019-1/
- “Anti-terror exercise BWTEX: When the police reach their limits”, Stuttgarter Zeitung, https://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/inhalt.anti-terror-uebung-bwtex-wenn-die-polizei-an-ihre-grenzen-stoesst.a22c2641-cb0c-499f-8783-7e627465c3d8.html
- “ANTI-TERROR EXERCISE: Rescue from the red zone”, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/inland/bwtex-die-anti-terror-uebung-von-polizei-und-bundeswehr-16442712.html
- “BWTEX 2019 – Interdisciplinary exercise by the security authorities in Baden-Württemberg”, European Security and Technology (ESUT), https://esut.de/2019/12/fachbeitraege/innere-sicherheit-fachbeitraege/16869/bwtex-2019-interdisziplinaere-uebung-der-sicherheitsbehoerden-in-baden-wuerttemberg/
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