VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Emergency Medical Services is adding an extra layer of protection for first responders. Every ambulance in the city is equipped with armored vests. The vest will allow them to better help victims during active situations.
"Our medics, our volunteers and our career people are very excited that we have them," explained Emergency Medical Services Division Chief Bruce Nedelka.
Nedelka said officials ordered the body armor months before the mass shooting on May 31, 2019, and the initiative started back in 2017. He said the mass shooting is the type of incident the vests could be used for.
"It's a level three vest which can stop rifle rounds as well as handgun rounds. We have 150 right now in deployment and we have 30 more on order," Nedelka remarked.
Nedelka said the vests are 20 pounds each and are available on every ambulance. Three are on each ambulance and two are on zone medic and supervisor vehicles.
"They won’t be used for every call. It is not used on a location of the city. It's used for active threat situations or if the supervisor deems it necessary for a particular case,” Nedelka explained.
Nedelka said he hopes the tactical gear is never used, but it’s there just in case.
He said, "I want everyone to be trained. I want them to know how to put them on. They are good with that stuff. I want them to take care of it, and hope we never have to pull it out and deploy it."
Firefighters with the Virginia Beach Fire Department have been added to the list of city agencies that will also get body armor. Officials say the new gear is coming in the next couple of months.