What is TECC?

For those not familiar with the term Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC), here is a quick description. TECC was developed to bring the TCCC (Tactical Combat Casualty Care) level of care and training to civilian first responders. Here’s a direct quote from their website:

“The Committee for Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (C-TECC) was convened to speed the transition of military medical lessons learned from the battlefield to civilian medical response to high risk situations.”

TECC Overview PDF

While the victim in this case did not have security assigned and therefore we cannot directly analyze what did or didn’t happen in that regard – we can still assess the mechanism of attack and the target selection process used by the attackers. As usual, they chose to attack her at a point of vulnerability while in the vehicle, where most attacks occur, additionally they chose to attack at a point of complacency – they shot her when she stopped to buy fruit, just as she has done on numerous occasions.
Considering, CARVER and counter-surveillance principles, what could have been done to avoid this?
Uganda bombing trial stalls after top prosecutor assassinated

We all remember the quick and effective US Secret Service agent’s response to the assassination attempt made by John Hinckley Jr. on March 30, 1981.

However, we use this event as a learning point as the reactive measures, while they saved his life, were not enough to save the President from harm. Many protocols were changed after this event and as such we try not to have an event dictate our policy, but our forethought and threat analysis.

Stay safe, JML

“Arnold Schwarzenegger’s bodyguard detail his biggest set of muscles”

Unfortunately, we cannot easily overcome a stereotype that is portrayed in movies and glorified in the media. However, any true protector understands that it is not the size of the agent or caliber of weapon or the degree of black belt that will keep their client safe, but the mind – and specifically how far forward the mind can think. This is most notably and famously exemplified in the Paris Hilton incident shown within the article when her bodyguard restrains a would be assailant and leaves her unattended crying out “What do we do? Is there Police? What do we do?”

All we can do is set ourselves apart, professionally.

“The former Vice Chairman, Lagos Mainland branch of the NURTW, was reportedly shot dead at the back of his house by the assailants while parking his car around 8pm on Tuesday.”

Time and time again we are shown that the stats are true – “most attacks occur in or near the principal’s vehicle, and they occur mostly near the home, office or hotel – just where complacency is most likely to set in.”

Lagos transport union boss assassinated

This is based on the 1983 kidnapping of Mr. Heineken in which the assailants planned the mission for as long as two years and had made several attempts prior to being successfull.

This event demonstrates the necessity for counter surveillance and behavioral analysis training of protection specialists.

Kidnapping Mr. Heineken Official Trailer #1 (2015) – Anthony Hopkins, Sam Worthington Movie HD