Special Operations

Hazardous Materials

River Rescue

Tactical EMS Team

Established in 2011 the Pittsburgh EMS TEMS Team was originally formed with 14 Paramedics and 2 Paramedic Supervisors. TEMS trains regularly with Pittsburgh SWAT and is deployed simultaneously with the SWAT Team. The two teams work alongside each other to ensure the safety of the public and to provide prompt and expert rescue and medical care under nearly any circumstance. TEMS added a physician to the team as well in order to provide on scene medical direction when necessary. Pittsburgh TEMS is recognized as one of the highest trained and most capable Tactical EMS units in the region and strives to maintain that status.

ECHO Team

The ECHO Team was created in 2014 in response to the Ebola outbreak that threatened the United States and originally was comprised of 12 Paramedics that received advanced training in the use of Personal Protective Equipment specialized for use during the care of a person with a suspected highly infectious disease (HID.) Pittsburgh EMS became one of less than 10 agencies in the state that was prepared to handle a patient with a confirmed HID diagnosis. Over the years the team participated in numerous exercises and training events and sent a portion of the team to the Center for Domestic Preparedness to complete their HID training program. The Team has more recently been utilized for the COVID-19 pandemic providing expertise in PPE donning and doffing as well as post-care decontamination of units. The ECHO Team also participates in COVID-19 testing missions and transport missions of known positive cases.