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Omaha police, firefighters train for mass-casualty events

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha firefighters are training in body armor so they can help police with crime scenes when they're needed to save lives.

Omaha World-Herald (http://bit.ly/1WJ5daQ ) reports that Omaha's fire and police departments have teamed up to form a "rescue task force" to simultaneously respond in the event of a mass shooting or another situation with multiple victims.

The training began in January and will continue through the end of March. Nearly every firefighter and police officer will complete the training, which goes toward their state-mandated continuing education requirements.

Forty firefighters and police officers went through four hours of physical training and classroom education Tuesday. Training included learning how to apply tourniquets to themselves and others, as well as practicing going into a volatile situation with protective vests and helmets.

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Information from: Omaha World-Herald, http://www.omaha.com

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