DEARBORN – Dearborn Police in conjunction with the Dearborn Fire Department announce the addition of two paramedics to the Dearborn Police Special Weapons and Tactics Team.

The two added SWAT Team paramedics are part of a Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS) initiative.  TEMS is also supplemented by an Oakwood Hospital component.  TEMS Paramedic Ryan Clark and Wael Gharbie are both currently full-time Dearborn Firefighters that are now on-call for response with the Dearborn SWAT Team.  They have both attended the Western Wayne SWAT Academy and the Schoolcraft Community College Police Reserve Academy.  The SWAT Academy taught them multiple weapons systems, dynamic shooting skills, individual and team tactics.  As paramedics they can treat wounded citizens or officers immediately in a fluid tactical situation versus the traditional response of waiting for the scene to be completely secure.

Clark and Gharbie were sworn-in as Reserve Police Officers on Thursday, December 19th.  This added capability puts them in a very select number of tactical paramedics; they are certified paramedics, trained as police officers, who are also formally trained for a SWAT response.  During a tactical situation, they now have the authority of full-time police officers at the discretion of the Police Chief. Their primary duties will include: use of specialized medical equipment, tactical emergency casualty care (TECC), and casualty extraction. Due to this certification model, both paramedics are capable of completing all team tasks and are integrated into all team response plans. The HAZMAT, confined spaces, and use of Personal Protection Equipment training they acquired from the Fire Department provides an in-house resource for the SWAT team needed to improve the team’s ability to complete its mission in a contaminated site.

Chief Ronald Haddad stated, “This was a shared vision of national best practices and practical application of city resources.  The citizens, officers, and firefighters now have a much faster medical response in a critical situation.”  

Chief Joseph Murray said, “This was a great team effort between the Fire and Police Departments to enhance the safety and security of our citizens. We are setting the standard for rapid patient care in critical situations.”