California Lawmaker Wants Template For Handling Active-Shooter Scenarios

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Changes could be coming to the way officers and medical teams respond to so-called active-shooter scenes under a California lawmaker's bill.

Pomona Assemblyman Freddie Rodriguez has proposed a bill that would create statewide training and protocols for police, fire and emergency medical services. The goal is to have a collaborative template on how to respond to shootings and help victims in need.

Rodriguez says the move is in response to the shooting of a TSA agent at LAX in November. The suspect was taken into custody within minutes, but medical crews were unable to get to the agent for nearly half an hour.

"I want to see what lessons did we learn from there, how to better respond to those incidents, but most importantly, how to better transport and treat the patients that are injured out of there," he said.

The assemblyman is a certified EMT himself and knows time is precious in any violent situation.

"We have to wait until police get there and isolate it and make sure it's safe for us to go in there," he said.

Former Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness says a statewide protocol is a good idea if it makes first response more efficient. But he worries a one-size-fits-all mentality isn't the best approach.

"It's going to be what's likely to occur based on what has happened before, but guess what? The next event could be completely different," he said.

The bill will be fleshed out after hearing later this month on the LAX incident.