“With a firefighter?” I asked.
“Oh.” Then after a minute, “Well, you know, just something different.”
Firefighters working hostage situations where there was no blaze or possibility of one? I figured I’d do some digging, find nothing and try to come up with something else different. Then I happened across a poster bearing this caption: “Even SWAT dials 9-1-1”.
That certainly piqued my curiosity. Not only does the caption sound cool, the poster is awesome. (I was unable to find who owned the copyright so I couldn’t get permission to upload it, but if you’re interested in seeing it, click here)
I soon learned there is a growing number of paramedics and other medical personnel across the country who train with SWAT teams and accompany SWAT or whoever needs them on calls. These individuals are called SWAT medics, sometimes tactical medics. They work not only hostage situations, but also water and mountain rescues and anything SWAT responds to. Medics are already on the scene anyway, so why not put them on the SWAT team so they can be right there if there’s an
injury?
These guys dodge flames and bullets! How cool is that? It sounds more James Bond than John Q Public. What I love about these people is that they are real men and women who sometimes walk into more danger than most rescue personnel. I don’t know about you, but that screams “hero” to me.
And I knew Walker McClain, the hero of my February book, The Vigilante Lover, had to be a SWAT medic.(Click here for more info about the book)
I was excited to learn there are two SWAT medics in my hometown and more are training. Have you ever heard of SWAT medics? What do you think about them? Are you impressed? Or not so much?
I’ll draw a winner from those who post and send a copy of The Vigilante Lover or a book of your choice.
36 comments:
Hi, Deb! I'd never heard of a "SWAT Medic" until I read your post. As the world grows ever more dangerous, it's great to know the level of those who serve in protection and rescue!
That sure is a fine lookin' fella on the cover of "The Vigilante Lover" : )
gcwhiskas at aol dot com
Welcome, Deb! I love the idea of the SWAT medic, too! I did tons of research for my SWAT trilogy and never ran across that personnel, but it makes absolute sense that there would be someone on scene to respond quickly if things go wrong.
I've never heard of Swat Medics. It's probably a good idea though. When you think about it the situations that Swat gets called in for involves hostages a lot of the time so having a medic in case someone other than the criminal gets hurt is a good idea. I can't wait to read your book. Nice cover too.
I have never heard of SWAT medics, but they sound very interesting. I think their refreshing, a bit different from reg. medics. My interests in them are perked cause I have never heard about them.
Please count me in.
cindyc725 at gmail dot com
Hi, Deb!
Isn't it wonderful the way these characters come to us when we need them most. The hero of my current release is a rodeo medic.
Several years ago Eileen Dreyer(aka Kathleen Korbel)--one of my all-time favorite writer--came to Minnesota for some kind of SWAT training. She was an ER nurse, and what a SWAT medic she'd be! She took the course--it was only a week, and I think it was meant for cops or students sort of as an intro--as research for a book, but she did us all proud by passing all the tests at the end.
What an interesting idea--I'd never thought about that. Neat poster, too.
Never heard of them either, but it prompted me to go to the website for our local ambulance/rescue service. They have the usual plus a search dog unit, HART (High Altitude Rough Terrain) unit and a dive unit since we're located on a large navigable river with recreational areas. We also have lots of caves and more than once I've read in the local paper about someone being rescued from a cave.
Your book sounds great -- the hero sounds so wounded and yummy. Love a wounded hero that the heroine can heal and love.
Marilyn
Hey, Deb! Welcome.
I have never heard of a SWAT medic, but that is awesome. Makes brilliant sense and best of all I can just feel your satisfaction when you were able to find something "different" to meet your editor's needs AND you were psyched to write the "something different."
Excellent!
I don't think I have ever heard or seen this term before, but I bet it makes for intersting, romantic stories.. I will be on the look out for you books.. I have not had the pleasure of reading any, at least I think.. I have read some books about fire investigators. So maybe I have come accross them..
Hi Deb and welcome. I adore your cover. Love it in its entirely!
Never heard of a SWAT medic, but that POSTER screams hero to me. I think I'd stop and gawk a bit with that one!
Welcome, Debra! Awesome cover. Is the RS line changing the cover look again? It looks different with the series title going down the side like that.
Hello,
I've never heard about the SWAT medics, but I can imagine there is a need for people with training in the medical field on a SWAT team. I've have not had a chance to read your books, but the series sounds great. Thanks for the post.
Hi, y’all. Thanks for the warm welcome. :) And the great comments about my cover. I think the guy on the cover is pretty yummy myself and I lucked out. :) I appreciate y’all taking a look at the SWAT medic poster. It’s intriguing and hot at the same time. LOL. Even though the guy in the poster is walking away, I just know he’s pretty yummy, too.
It’s exciting to me that none of you had yet heard of SWAT medics, especially Kylie with all your research. :)
Virginia, I’m reassured, too, by the increasing level of training our rescue personnel undertake. I’m also in awe. :)
Linda, if you read the book, I hope you enjoy it. :) A woman told me that one of their SWAT medics saved the life of a gunshot officer the first time out. Don’t you know that officer is grateful every day for an idea like this?
Kathleen Eagle, I’m all over your rodeo medic. :) Your book is in my TBR pile and I can’t wait to read it. It sounds so fascinating, plus I also write a western historical series for Harlequin so I love rodeos, cowboys, etc.
Eileen is one of my favorite writers, too. :) I bet she’d be a great SWAT medic. I can only imagine how intense that training was over a week.
Marilyn, I’m a sucker for a wounded hero, too. :)
It’s pretty great your local rescue service has a search dog unit *and* dive team. I’ve heard of HART units, but don’t much about them. Hmm, maybe that would be great fodder for another book. :)
Debra,
You could probably also feel my *relief* when I was able to find something “different” for my editor. LOL. And I was absolutely psyched to write about these guys. I almost couldn’t make myself stop researching. Okay, to be honest, I haven’t stopped. :)
BTW, now that I see you here, I have to thank you for your book, GMC: GOAL, MOTIVATION and CONFLICT. I bought the book after attending a workshop you did at the National RWA conference some years ago and it has helped me tremendously. Your approach of laying out GMC using those movie examples really clicked for me. My copy is worn ragged and I recommend it to every writer I know. :)
Kathleen O,
If you get a chance to read THE VIGILANTE LOVER or any of the other books in The Hot Zone series, I hope you enjoy them. :)
Hi, Helen. I’m excited about the cover, too (if you can’t tell - LOL). And I’m right there with you about gawking at the poster. :)
Michelle, thanks for the welcome. :) Yes, the RS line has changed its cover look again. One of the editors described them as more like movie posters and I see what she means. They debuted in January of this year. I really like them, especially since I got a great one. LOL.
Add me to the list who has never heard of SWAT medics but I'm glad there are!! Love romantic suspense and this sounds like a great book!
I've never heard of a SWAT medic either. That poster is HOT though. Very distracting, in a very good way. If you hadn't told us the headline, I don't think I would have even noticed it ;)
Congrats on the new release, Debra. I've never heard of SWAT medics, but I am interested to learn more.
Hi Deb,
I hadn't heard about swat medics until I read your post. It sounds like a good idea.
I’m glad you all enjoyed the post and thanks so much for the best wishes regarding my release. :) These SWAT medics just seem to lend themselves to romantic suspense, especially the romance part. :)
Like the others, I've never heard of SWAT medics. Then again, I live in Canada. 'Nuf said....
Yes, I'm impressed (but then again, I'm easily impressed)! It's one of those jobs that I could never pass training to do myself, so I'll just admire from afar instead.
I'm also impressed with how the storyline came into being. Can you imagine if we didn't have the Internet today? (Well ... "I" can because I grew up with a typewriter. Heck! I grew up with a manual Remington typewriter, then moved on to an electric typewriter, then an electronic typewriter, then a computer, and then finally got the Internet!) It is so nice not to have my 13 sets of encyclopedias anymore!
Thanks for another great post!
Hey, Laney. Like you, I’ll admire their job from afar. Sometimes I like to think that in my younger days, if I’d known about SWAT medics, I might’ve been able to pass the training, but I doubt it. LOL.
And I certainly echo your thankfulness about the internet. It’s likely I never would’ve heard of these guys without it. Learning about them has really been a highlight. :)
I also like the cover of The Vigilante Lover! Story sounds wonderful too. I agree that a SWAT Medic would be an integral part of any SWAT Team due to the inherent DANGER that's involved!!
SWAT medics are new to me, but they sound like they would be the best people to help in major situations.
I had never heard of the SWAT medic before.
Deb, this sounds so exciting. You've given me a whole other possible "hot hero" job to think about for my own books.
I'm definitely going to pick up a copy of your book just to see what you did with it.
I had never thought of Swat Medics, but it makes sense. In every movie with SWAT on scene, there are lots of backup personnel. I think their stories would also be very exciting.
SWAT Medics have been around for a while, so it was surprising that so many people don't know they're around! I just assumed everyone knew about them, but then again, I come from an EMS background and I want to be a SWAT Medic when I grow up. I think that would be about the coolest thing on the planet. Though I also wanted to be a Justin Healer (rodeo medic) like Kathleen has, too.
There are so many things I want to be when I grow up...
Hey Deb! I have never heard of a SWAT medic, but it sounds really cool. I've always been impressed by anyone with a job that puts their lives at risk to save others. Major heroes in my book. Like firefighters, always running in when everyone else is running out.
I haven't heard of them either, but I was watching this TV show Trauma (I guess it's been cancelled already?) and in one episode there was a hostage situation and two of the medics went in the building to help.
I am very impressed with people who can put themselves on the line for others. A special breed indeed.
Add me to the list of loving the new SRS covers!
Paula, don’t you love it when you come across anything new relating to a hero? :)
GunDiva (love that username, btw), I loved finding out that a rodeo medic is also called a Justin Healer. :)
Nicole, add me to the list of being impressed with people who run toward danger when the rest of us run away!
Marcie, I saw that same episode of Trauma! The show was canceled, then the network changed their mind so it’ll be back. They just haven’t said when yet. :)
Thank you all for your comments and making my visit here a great experience. :)
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