"We had materials -- IVs and tourniquets ready in case the man would shoot himself," Nager said. "Had this individual shot himself, it would've been seconds, rather than a delay of 10 minutes and that would've been the difference between life and death for either the victim or one of the officers."
The man eventually tired of holding the crossbow and was subdued with a Taser gun.
In August 2006, when a sergeant was accidentally shot in the left elbow while training with the team in northern Harford, Young was there to immediately dress the wound.
"We were in a remote area, so EMS response can be extended," Young said. "I knew what care needed to be done, and it took about 20 to 30 minutes because of the area we were in, and I was able to immediately respond."
The sergeant was flown to Maryland Shock Trauma Center and made a full recovery. The officer has since returned to the force.
Tactical emergency medicine focuses on supporting law enforcement special operations and originates from the military, Nager said. Just like military medics who treat wounds in volatile environments, treating patients in the field can be difficult.
"You put on 60 to 70 pounds of gear and try to squat with a helmet on," Young said.
In 2004, Mothershed suggested bringing the medical component to Harford's tactical team after reading about them in journals. He and Young had been emergency first responders before becoming deputies.
They attended sessions on tactical emergency medicine training in Bethesda, where they specialized in treating combat injuries such as wounds from gunshots, explosions or falls.
They were approached by Nager in June 2006, a Baltimore doctor with an interest in law enforcement. After attending 50 hours of training in tactical medicine in California, Nager volunteered with Harford's Special Response Team for eight months.
He became a contractual employee of the sheriff's office after completing a three-week SWAT training course last March.
Nager advises Mothershed and Young on medical matters, and treats injuries at the scene when accompanying the tactical team.
"Anytime the SWAT is deployed on a mission, I would be notified and go out with them as a member of the team, as long as I'm not [working] in the hospital," Nager said.
Unlike Young and Mothershed, Nager is not a sworn officer and cannot carry a weapon.
"I have to rely on them to protect me," he said, referring to the members of the Special Response Team. "I'm not armed. At times, it can be very scary. I've come to trust them. They're trusting me to take care of their lives -- it works both ways."
He also monitors the health of the team members.
Knowing their medical history, he looks for subtle signs and symptoms.
"You can nip these things in the bud if you're right there when something happens," Nager said. "Recovery time becomes shortened and they can get back to duty a lot quicker."
After a drill last month, the seven officers who had been practicing the officer-down scenario said they felt better knowing that a doctor is there.
madison.park@baltsun.com
