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| Frequently Asked Questions |
How do I obtain Homeland Security grant funds to attending this school?
It is up to each individual student to obtain the grant funding to attend the school if you are eligible to do so. This is accomplished by contacting the training coordinator for your Law Enforcement, Fire or EMS agency. You will need to complete the necessary forms they will provide you. The school does not get involved in the process or act on your behalf.
My agency does no allow us to carry firearms and I do not have a personal firearm or duty weapon to bring to the school. How will I then participate in the firearms portion of the training?
We have school handguns and we can provide you with a SIG SAUER 229 DAK in 9mm with a Blackhawk Serpa holster. Advance notice will need to be made for this service. There is no additional charge for the use of this equipment.
I can only attend the first week of the school is this a problem?
To some degree yes, this is a two-week comprehensive Tactical Medicine School that is designed to be completed during that time frame. We have a very limited number of (BTM only seats). We do not recommend that you attend the first week and then return several months later to complete the training. After an absence, your training will become fragmented and diluted.
My agency will not allow me to transport or bring any automatic weapons to the school. How will I be able to participate in the automatic weapons training portion of the school?
The International School of Tactical Medicine (ISTM) is fully licensed by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) Firearms Branch. ISTM has DOJ permits to posses, transport and use Machine Guns, Automatic Weapons, Assault Weapons, Short Barreled Rifles, Short Barreled Shot Guns, 50 BMG and Destructive Devices. The school has a full array of Heckler & Koch MP5 Submachine guns for you to use during your two-week school. There is no additional charge for the use of this equipment.
Do I need to bring any medical equipment to the school?
No, we provide all the necessary medical equipment and supplies to be able to participate in the training. We do however, recommend that you bring and use all equipment that you will deploy with in the field. This will give you an enhanced training experience.
I will be attending the school and I am coming from a foreign country. Will I be able to use or borrow firearms and ballistic armor?
Yes, there is no charge for the use of this equipment. We will provide you with a SIG SAUER 229 DAK in 9mm with a Blackhawk Serpa thigh holster and an HK MP5 submachine gun for use during the two-week school.
How and when will I get my USERNAME and PASSWORD to get the Blackhawk products Group 20% lifetime discount?
When you register and pay your tuition it will be sent electronically to you via email.
I recently attended another so called "TEMS" course and we were forbidden to bring any weapons to the course including knives. We were told that if we were caught with any weapons including a knife we would be immediately dismissed and sent home with no refund. What's up with this?
Good question all of us at ISTM are wondering the same. In our two week tactical medicine school you may bring and use any and all weapons you are authorized by your agency to carry, posses and for deployment. This includes assault weapons, machine guns, suppressors, knives, handguns etc. In fact we encourage all students to bring all your weapons and gear so that you will have a more realistic training experience.
What time do the classes begin on Monday morning?
All Tactical Medicine classes begin promptly at 0830 in the Palm Springs Police Training Center at 200 South Civic Drive.
What do you think about the shorter TEMS courses that concentrate on the medical component only?
What would you think about a Police Academy that was 3 weeks long and concentrated on vehicle stops only? What would you think about a SWAT school that did not have any weapons training?
Tactical medics are not built with a 2-5 day course. In fact we are in the process of expanding our school to 3 weeks. It requires a re-training of the thought process to operate within a tactical environment. It involves sight, sound, weapons, smoke, sweat, and eventually muscle memory.
We want to develop good habits and we use reality based training to achieve this. Ideally, the medics should not be learning all their medical skills at this school. They should be learning new ways of using their skills and their application and approach in the tactical environment. The faculty at ISTM can't see how you can accomplish this in a 2-5 day program, can you?
Can I bring my M4 to the school and use it during the firearms training?
Yes, however you can only use frangible ammunition because we shoot sometimes on steel targets and full metal jacket can cause splash back.
What is the entry level of medical training to attend the school?
We recommend that you be at least an EMT-B or higher EMT-P would be the best. The reason why is it may be difficult to handle the advanced medical portion of the school which include advanced airway management and trauma anesthesia.
Can I skip the Basic course and take the Advanced course if I have attended other "TEMS" courses like CONTOMS?
No, the BTM and ATM courses are not mutually exclusive. What you learn on each day applies to the material and exercises you will perform on the next day. We use a building block approach in our program and to skip even the first several days of the two week program would render you at a severe disadvantage for the remainder of the training, and not to mention the safety issues that arise. We teach tactics and use live fire weapons training. The California Commission of Peace Officers Standards and Training and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security does not permit students to skip the entry level course to receive certification as a tactical medic.
How long is my certificate valid?
Your certificate is valid for three years from the time of graduation. After that you will need to return for a sustainment and refresher course to maintain your certification.
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