Hudson Council Approves New Joint Rescue Guidelines for Police, Fire, EMS

At its Aug. 15 meeting, the Hudson Common Council unanimously approved a new emergency management system that was put forth in a memo by Hudson Police Chief Marty Jensen, Hudson Fire Chief Jim Frye and St. Croix EMS Chief Eric Christensen.

Because the the three Hudson agencies were more frequently responding to the same incidents, the respective chiefs came up with the plan to "be more operationally efficient and have improved on-scene coordination," according to the memo. 

Now, each agency has specific situations in which it will take the lead role at the scene.

Hudson Police Department
The new plan calls for law enforcement to be responsible for the following:

• Scene security
• Traffic control
• Investigation
• Hostage situations
• Lost or missing people
• Tactile rescue bomb threats
• Situations that may have legal or statutory obligations

Hudson Fire Department
The fire department will take the reins for the following:

• Burning building search and rescue
• Extrication
• Surface water extrication
• Hazardous materials
• RIT
• Trench
• Structure collapse
• Confined space

St. Croix EMS
EMS workers will take the lead in the following situations: 

• Dive rescue
• Patient care
• High-angle rescue
• Lift assists
• Mass-casualty incidents