The National Association For Search And Rescue has issued a warning to all uniformed and non-uniformed SAR responders nationwide to beware of ambush style attacks.
“Over the past months, the nation has seen sporadic but increasing hostility and violence towards law enforcement officials and agencies. In recent weeks there have been ambush style attacks on law enforcement officials in and out of uniform,” reads the NASAR advisory. “There have been plausible reports recently of SAR responders in vehicles with signage and stickers that have been surveilled or had contact by hostile individuals believing that the vehicle and SAR responders were law enforcement.”
In response to this trend, NASAR advises SAR responders to:
· Maintain situational awareness at all times
· Remove all identifying stickers and magnetic signs from vehicles
· When traveling to and from searches wear a civilian blouse or top over your uniform top if possible
· Minimize side trips while in uniform for gas, meals, shopping, etc.
· Be aware of your surroundings and those within earshot when discussing SAR
· Do not train alone, use the buddy system whenever possible
· Have a plan in case you are confronted by a hostile individual(s)
· It has been common custom for SAR responder to have related stickers and magnetic signs on their vehicles when traveling. This practice has typically been to show pride in your volunteer career, and market your SAR team. A hostile individual could easily use this style of vehicle labelling as an excuse for violence against a SAR volunteer since we are sometimes indistinguishable from a law enforcement or other agency responder. Do not let your pride make you a target of opportunity.
· It has also been common practice for uniformed SAR volunteers to drive to and from searches in uniform. NASAR recommends that SAR responders wear a civilian jacket or blouse over their uniform shirt when traveling, or wear a civilian shirt when traveling and don their uniform shirt once at the search command post.
· NASAR recommends that SAR responders minimize or eliminate side trips for gas, meals, shopping, etc. while in uniform.
· Increase your situational awareness at all times, especially when in public during a search, while training, or discussing SAR related topics in public.
· When training, utilize the buddy system. Watch each others back, there is safety in numbers.
· Whenever you are training, responding to or searching, have a plan in case you are approached by hostile individuals. Brief the plan with the whole team or training group, and have multiple communication options to contact authorities. Always be able to accurately communicate your location, and situation to law enforcement.
· There are other actions that each SAR responder can take to provide a safer environment for themselves and their teammates. NASAR encourages each SAR response organization to have a safety meeting and develop their own reasonable policies and plans regarding this threat.
On September 6, 2015 at approximately 12:12 p.m., two uniformed Las Vegas Police Department officers were ambushed while stopped at the traffic light. A man on foot opened fire on the officers and patrol vehicle. The suspect shot into the patrol vehicle several times from a semi-automatic handgun, striking one officer in the hand.
During the incident no shots were fired by officers.
On September 5, “a Milwaukee firefighter was violently grabbed by a man in a crowd of hostile onlookers as he tried to help a victim while on a medical call,” according to FOX6 News. Now, Milwaukee Fire Department officials are pleading with the public to let them do their job. “100% of the time, we’re there to help,” said Milwaukee Fire Department Deputy Chief Lipski.
The punk thugs that attack officers, and other uniformed people that are trying to help, need to have their lives as not mattering. I keep telling people to arm themselves, AKA, Lock and Load, as it is only going get worse and incident’s like these proves me right. I practice MY “Gun Control” all of the time by “using both hands and hitting what I aim at”.
Obviously, this safety alert is generated based on real concerns and real incidents. HOWEVER, in this long list of defensive, back-pedalling suggestions, the one thing that is clearly missing is DEFEND YOURSELVES AGAINST VIOLENT AGGRESSION.
There is no law anywhere in the USA (yet) that requires legitimate SAR personnel to submit to violent terrorists & thugs. If you are walking into the unknown, you should be prepared and trained to defend yourselves and your partners.
This, of course, has absolutely no relevance to the traitorous groups of snakes who slither around in the desert, illegally encouraging and transporting illegal aliens north from our porous border. They label themselves with all kinds of feel-good names that bely their efforts to destroy US. Funny how they are invisible to law enforcement eyes, while real SAR people are noticeable targets. “Good is evil, light is dark”
God bless America.
“American” Communists are often the leaders of radical left-wing movements, it was even reported that Revolutionary Communist Party was in Ferguson stirring up the riots. It could be that some of these revolutionary “soldiers” similar to Bill Ayers have hit upon a way to reduce Law Enforcement in America by reducing recruitment numbers.
the ‘trigger catalyst’ appears to have been triggered – are police guilty of actions to warrant these reprisal attacks – this is ‘civil war’ – is that what is starting? – let’s pray not; have the police brought this on themselves – to a degree I think they have. Way to many instances of the institutionalization of the officers leading to bully tactics against the civilians by the force and I say the last two descriptive words for purpose because the police see the citizens as the civilians and them as the force. Makes for bad practice of law with that view. Its not us against them it’s us employing them which seems to be a fact forgotten to often.
Don’t you remember the old days, Billy? They could fire a warning shot in the air and then shoot the running unarmed person with no consequences. They used to beat up “hippies” at will. I think police are a lot better now, except in Philly. I heard they are terrible there.