The Mahoning Valley Crisis Response Team (SWAT) has grown with the recent addition of paramedics.
Monday morning, workers with Lane Life-Trans Ambulance and the Cardinal Joint Fire District took driver-training, getting behind the wheel of the SWAT team’s armored vehicles.
The black one is known as the “Bear” and the green one is a military surplus “M-RAP.”
The medics were added to provide additional support to the teams when they are called out for emergencies.
“The idea is to free-up the SWAT officers so they want to utilize the medics and some of us from Lane Life-Trans, some of us from Canfield Fire, to drive the M-RAP and the Bear while also providing medical care in the back if needed,” said Ryan Lane, of Lane Life-Trans.
Although the medics will not be armed for the time being, a recent change in state law does allow paramedics and EMTs to carry weapons if they are certified.