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Emergency medical technicians perform one of the most critical jobs, but they also face a high degree of risk. In addition to the physical and health dangers that accompany each call, EMTs can easily find themselves in the center of legal disputes. Alarmingly, cases against them are often based on verbal accusations alone. To ensure that EMTs can remain legally defensible, certain services are now requiring their employees to wear body cameras. These cameras can document interactions with the public and provide a tangible record to be used in court, if necessary. As with every new technology, however, video cameras present challenges when integrating into an EMT's daily routine.

Already tasked with many responsibilities, firefighter duties are expanding in a few cities to include more medical care. Unlike tactical medical teams, where EMTs are given tactical skills to use on the scene, this medical attention occurs after an individual has been discharged from the hospital.

Practical skill and medical expertise are fundamental requirements for first responders. Now, emergency experts are realizing the impact cultural competency can have on saving lives in a community. First responders are the cornerstone of the areas they serve. In the event of an emergency, firefighters, EMTs, law enforcement officers and other key players share the duty of not only saving lives, but working directly with local residents to create an overall safer environment. Cultural competency represents the idea that understanding the nuances of the different cultures and the backgrounds that make up a particular population better equips first responders to provide effective care.

A tactical medical team consists of first responders who are trained in special operations and basic EMT skills. Being trained in both areas allows tactical medics to attend to the wounded as quickly as possible, even when a scene is not secure. By outfitting a crisis response team with at least one of these multifunctional individuals, agencies can save precious time and, as a result, lives.

This past year was marked by innovative-sometimes controversial-technologies that promise to have significant impact on law enforcement agents, firefighters and EMTs. As first responder agencies begin to explore how they can integrate these new technologies into their operations, we revisit some of the most popular technology trends in 2014

Faced with new threats, first responders put their training to the test in 2014. Law enforcement agencies, disaster workers and even school teachers learned new practices and honed their instincts to better allow them to survive stressful situations while caring for others. As the year comes to an end, we look back on how comprehensive training strategies contributed to effective emergency responses