In December 2014, a solo gunman took 18 people hostage at a cafe in central Sydney. The event was broadcast live on national television. What evolved over the proceeding 16hrs until the ultimate law enforcement resolution would leave the suspect and two others dead and expose the shortcomings of current EMS response to terrorism in Australia. Inadequacies of the response echoed the lessons hard learned from numerous events in the U.S and abroad specifically pertaining to interoperability, training and equipment. What has evolved out of this is a fundamental change in the approach of EMS and law enforcement in Australia to the threat of domestic terrorism specifically in the provision of medical care to casualties. This presentation will present on the planning, response, lessons learned and system wide changes that have subsequently occurred as the result of this siege from the prospective of specialised EMS who were there. 

Presenter: Oli Ellis, Australian Tactical Medical Association.