Ready for the unexpected.

The Stratford EMS Special Operations Division (SOD) provides specialized medical support for large-scale emergencies, public events, and incidents requiring additional personnel and equipment.

Established in 1987 to respond to mass casualty incidents, SOD has grown into a versatile resource supporting Stratford’s emergency response system—from planning for community celebrations to assisting at major incidents.

Emergency Response and Special Event Support

SOD works alongside on-duty EMS crews and public safety partners to strengthen response capabilities when additional resources are needed. Its responsibilities include:

  • Special event planning and standby coverage for large gatherings, including Stratford’s annual fireworks display and Stratford Day celebrations.

  • Firefighter rehabilitation services supporting the Stratford Fire Department during structure fires.

  • Additional response resources to supplement on-duty EMS units.

  • Mass casualty support, including the setup and management of EMS command posts, field treatment areas, and staging areas for responding units.

In 2013, SOD introduced Echo Responder, an activation system linked to the Town’s computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system. This integration allows the team to be notified promptly when an incident meets designated activation criteria.

Specialized Training

SOD members bring training across a broad range of emergency response disciplines, including:

  • Incident Command System (ICS)

  • Tactical EMS

  • Wilderness EMS

  • Disaster medicine

  • International Trauma Life Support

  • Boat and utility terrain vehicle (UTV) operations

  • Emergency responder rehabilitation

  • Medical response to bombing incidents

  • Advanced hazardous materials life support

  • Special event management

These skills help the team support medical care and coordinated operations in complex environments.

Equipment and Response Resources

SOD’s assigned vehicle carries equipment to support patient care and field operations, including mass casualty treatment supplies, portable lighting, a generator, communications equipment, an all-terrain stretcher, a patient isolation chamber for infectious disease and a Stokes basket litter.

Together, these resources help Stratford EMS expand its response when an incident requires more than routine ambulance coverage.

 

For more information on the Special Operations Division, contact us at (203) 385-4060.