New training approach prepares first responders to save lives faster during mass casualty events

Article and photo courtesy of Owensboro Times

“Every time you hear a gunshot, someone else just died. You don’t wait, you go in.” Sheriff Brad Youngman didn’t mince words Tuesday as he stood in the halls of Daviess County High School during this year’s Rescue Task Force (RTF) training, 

That mindset is at the heart of the RTF approach. It’s an aggressive but calculated response model designed to get help to victims of mass casualty events, especially active shooter situations, as quickly and effectively as possible. And in a community like Daviess County, where many of the men and women wearing uniforms are also parents of students in the schools where they train, the weight of that mission hits home.

“We hope these things never happen,” Youngman said. “But when they do, the impact on a community is just so tragic that we want to be as prepared as possible to save as many lives as we can.”

Since its launch in 2017, Daviess County’s Rescue Task Force has steadily evolved from small-scale tabletop discussions to complex, multi-story, multi-agency simulations. The multi-agency training simulates the immediate response to an active shooter, including locating and neutralizing the threat, setting up casualty collection points, and escorting firefighters and medics into unsecured areas to administer life-saving care.

RTF protocols are built on two core principles: speed and cooperation. Law enforcement enters first to address the threat and identify victims. Medical teams then follow under armed escort, bringing tourniquets, trauma kits, and triage training — not weapons — to stop the bleeding and stabilize victims.

It’s a strategy that diverges from traditional response models, where medical personnel would typically stage outside until a scene was fully secure. In mass shooting events, that delay can cost lives.

This year’s exercise included a more complex layout than previous drills, using both floors of the school building and simulating a higher number of casualties. Volunteer actors, including local nursing students and emergency department staff from Owensboro Health, served as victims, with screams of simulated agony echoing through the halls.

“This training is intense. We make it as real as possible,” Youngman said. “We want their pulse rates up. We want them making decisions under stress. And if something goes wrong here, that’s okay — this is where we learn the hard lessons, not on the street.”

DCFD Battalion Chief Jake Cox added, “This is our first two-story scenario. We had patients on the first and second floors, and that added to the dynamics — how are we getting these patients out quickly and safely?”

RTF training ensures that once the immediate threat is addressed, a coordinated second wave can enter to begin rescue operations. These responders aren’t looking for the shooter — they’re there to save lives.

Youngman acknowledged that in a real mass casualty event, agencies from across the region would flood the scene, including city police, state troopers, and even law enforcement from neighboring counties.

“And that’s okay,” he said. “Everyone knows their job. Every officer is trained that when they arrive, they go in. We’ve moved away from team-based tactics toward individual initiative. If a city officer, a county deputy, and a detective from out of town all show up at once, they’ll all know what to do.”

Although this week’s training is staged at a school, the lessons apply to any large-scale event, such as a concert, church service, or community festival.

“It’s easier to train in a school because it’s a controlled environment, but the basics stay the same,” Youngman said. “You’ve got to get in, locate the shooter, and start calling out the casualties so medics can come in behind you. You’ve got to stop the killing before you can stop the dying.”

In a worst-case scenario, Public Safety Director Jeremy Smith acknowledged, the local system would be overwhelmed.

“If you’re talking 30 or more victims, the truth is no community is truly ready for that,” Smith said. “But we train for mass casualty triage. We have trailers stocked with supplies. We can stabilize people, identify who needs to go first, and move as efficiently as possible.”

Training scenarios are structured around triage categories — red, yellow, green, and black — to prioritize victims. Black tags are deceased victims. Red tags are the most critically injured and are transported first. Yellow victims are injured but stable, while green are considered walking wounded and often remain until others are cleared.

“It’s kind of sad, but the greens are the last ones out,” Cox said. “We evacuate the reds first, then the yellows, and only then the greens — all under armed escort.”

The emotional toll of these scenarios is never far from the minds of those participating.

“Most of the people here today are parents,” Youngman said. “Several of them have kids who go to this very school. That’s why we do this before the school year starts. It’s not just about policy — it’s personal.”

And while no one wants to imagine a tragedy unfolding in their own backyard, Youngman said it’s that very fear that keeps them pushing forward.

“We’ve seen awful failures across the country,” Youngman said. “It’s sickening. It’s embarrassing. I’ve told every one of my deputies: You will go in, or you’re in violation of policy. That’s how serious this is.”

At its origin, the RTF model took root locally after Youngman, Cox, and other officials were struck by footage from the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, where firefighters in tactical gear entered the scene alongside officers.

“We hit the ground running from that point forward,” Youngman said. “Once you’re aware of a new technique, you better grab it, because when it hits your community, you better be ready for it.”

Though RTF was developed primarily through the Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department, participation continues to grow. This year included observers from other law enforcement agencies, nursing students, and volunteers coordinated through Emergency Management.

“(The fire department personnel) understand how to stop the bleeding. Law enforcement understands how to stop the threat. Together, hand in hand, that’s how we protect our community,” Smith said.

He added that the county’s partnerships have been vital, whether it’s equipping medics with body armor, securing grants for communication equipment, or coordinating resources from the state.

“In the end, we want our kids to be safe. We want our public to be safe. And we want every responder to go home,” he said.

That’s why they keep training year after year, scenario after scenario. Because if the unthinkable does happen in Daviess County, they want to be ready.

And because every second counts.