2024 TACTICAL RESCUE CHALLENGE™ INFORMATION

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The 2024 Tactical Rescue Challenge™ marks our 6th year anniversary !

We will continue this year with high intensity drills and scenarios, holding competitors to higher standards!  We will have a limit of thirty, two man teams.  The competition will be held at two locations, all very close to the hotel.  Lunch will be provided and we will conclude back at the hotel with cocktail hour, dinner and a great awards ceremony.  For those participating in the CT SWAT Challenge, this will be a busy week of training, competition and camaraderie!  There will be more information to follow in the next few months.  See below for some basic information!

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DATE:  Monday - August 12, 2024 (vendor show Tuesday & Wednesday, vendors will also be invited to Camp Hartell on Monday, CSC Tuesday through Thursday)

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TEAMS:  Up to thirty, teams of two.

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COST:  $239 per team (Total of $256.87 with the Eventbrite $17.87 processing fee).

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LOCATION 1:  Hartford Gun Club, 157 South Main Street, East Granby, CT 06026

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LOCATION 2:  Camp Hartell, 542 North Street, Windsor Locks, CT 06096 (New England Disaster Training Center)

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HOTEL:  Marriott Hartford/Windsor Airport, 28 Day Hill Road, Windsor, CT 06095   

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EXPECTATIONS:  Some of the best Law Enforcement & Military Special Operations Teams compete in this event. Every year our competitors get better and stronger, we follow! Our competition is highly competitive with fitness, tactics, medicine, marksmanship and heart! Everyone must shoot (case by case exceptions on a shooter/medic team).  We will have live fire and force on force drills/scenarios. This competition is not limited to just special operators and tactical teams.  Any LE units that can be put in harms way to stop an active threat are eligible and encouraged to compete. This event will sell out! 

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PUSH-UP COMPETITION:  For the second year we will have our STORM + JAGERWERKS Push-Up Competition! This voluntary event is only available to TRC competitors. The competition will be tough and the prizes are second to none.

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2024 TACTICAL RESCUE CHALLENGE™ SCHEDULE  TIMES ARE APPROXIMATE/SUBJECT TO CHANGE

TIME     LOCATION       EVENT

0700         H.G.C.                     CADRE BRIEFING

0730         H.G.C.                     TEAM CHECK IN 

0750         H.G.C.                     OPENING REMARKS / SAFETY BRIEFING

0830         H.G.C.                     EVENT #1 BEGINS (FIRST SIX TEAMS HEAD TO HEAD)

0930         H.G.C.                     EVENT #2 BEGINS (FIRST SIX TEAMS HEAD TO HEAD)

1030         H.G.C.                     DEBRIEF & MOVE TO CAMP HARTELL

1115         CAMP HARTELL      TEAM SET-UP & STAGING AT HEADQUARTERS

1130         CAMP HARTELL      FULL TEAM PHOTO AT COLLAPSED PARKING DECK (EVENT SHIRT, HELMET, CARBINE)

1145.        CAMP HARTELL      NATIONAL ANTHEM - REMARKS

1145         CAMP HARTELL      PUSH-UP COMPETITION - 1ST RUN

1200         CAMP HARTELL      EVENTS # 3 & 4 BEGIN (SCHEDULE WILL BE PRECISE)

1200         CAMP HARTELL      WORKING LUNCH (PROVIDED)

1430         CAMP HARTELL      PUSH-UP COMPETITION – 2ND RUN

1500         CAMP HARTELL.     EVENT # 5 "THE GAUNTLET"

1630         CAMP HARTELL      CONCLUSION OF COMPETITON

1730         HOTEL                     COCKTAIL HOUR, DINNER, PUSH-UP SHOWDOWN & AWARDS CEREMONY

 

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TACTICAL RESCUE CHALLENGE™ - RULES

Overview:
Teams participating in the Tactical Rescue Challenge™ (TRC) will be faced with a series of drills and scenarios, each station requiring different tactical and medical skills. The TRC is, by design, physically demanding and will test your functional fitness, tactical, shooting, teamwork, and medical skills. Teams should be prepared for prolonged periods of physical exertion.
TRC events include, but are not limited to:
• TCCC/TECC concepts and phases of care
• Casualty rescue techniques
• Tactical rescue techniques
• Basic K9 TCCC/TECC
• Law enforcement/military tactics
• Operational fitness
• Safe and effective employment of firearms, chemical agents, smoke, and distraction devices
• Appropriate use of personal protective equipment (including gas mask) and decontamination

Definitions of Roles:
• Competitor - A single individual within a team participating in the TRC.
• Team - a group of two individuals who will participate in the TRC as a unit on behalf of an agency, department, or ad hoc group. This Team entered the TRC through the application process.
• Team Leader - An individual who has responsibility for the competing team. This person is the liaison with the TRC staff and the team’s representative.
• TRC Director - Ben Sonstrom, who has the overall command and control of the TRC and its events.
• TRC Event Coordinator - The individual charged with the overall coordination of a specific event within the TRC. This person provides briefings to the competitors, teams, team leaders and Event Staff and assigns roles for Event Support Staff. They also serve as the apex tactical instructor for the event. The Event Coordinator is the liaison to the Team Leader.
• Tactical MD - Licensed physicians who have experience providing support to tactical teams in a law enforcement or military role. They serve as the primary medical instructor for the event.
• Event Support Staff - Individuals who are representatives of the TRC in various roles.
• Range Safety Officer (RSO) - Individuals who are qualified to operate firearms ranges and events. Commands or instruction from an RSO supersede any other instruction or commands from TRC staff.

OVERALL SAFETY MESSAGE:
The safety of the public and safety of those in attendance is of primary importance, overarching all aspects of the TRC. Facility locations will be conspicuously marked to restrict access by the general public. Each event will have different PPE requirements and safety briefings will be conducted prior to teams participating in events.
Event staff will be present at each location and monitor for safety issues continuously during the competition. Staff can intervene for any necessary reason to ensure the safety of competitors, judges or observers. The organizing cadre can make changes to the format at any time necessary to ensure the safety of competitors or necessary to ensure success of the competition. Rules, as outlined below, detail some specific safety requirements as well as scoring or disqualification implications

TACTICAL RESCUE CHALLENGE™ RULES

1. Teams
a. A “team” will consist of two individual competitors. A competitor may be substituted only in the case of injury or illness, with consultation from the TRC Medical Director.
b. Teams must be registered prior to the competition day and have any associated fees paid in full.
c. Each competitor must complete and sign the online waiver of liability. The waiver must be printed and submitted to the Event Director or his designee during the morning briefing.
d. Teams must report to the staging area/starting line when scheduled and/or called. Any team failing to report for their scheduled event may be disqualified unless exigent circumstances exist. It shall be the duty of the team leader to report any exigent circumstances to the TRC Event Director who will determine if a delay is permitted.
e. Individual competitors must complete all events or the team will be scored as “Did Not Finish” (DNF).
f. Teams can abort their attempt to complete an event at any time at the request of a competitor. The team will not be allowed to restart or resume their attempt.
g. The use of medical supplies other than those provided to the team by TRC staff is not permitted and will result in a score of “DNF” due to failure to comply with the event rules.
h. Uniform of the day for competitors is the uniform approved by their respective department or agency. In the event the competitors are not from the same department or agency, they will wear attire suitable for tactical operations and be generally uniform in appearance.

2. Competition
a. The competition will occur on the posted date.
b. Sign in for the competition will occur from 0730 – 0800.
c. All Team Leaders will receive a briefing beginning at 0815.
d. The first teams will start at 0830.
e. Each event will have a maximum allowable time. If a team reaches the maximum time, the event will be terminated by the Event Coordinator and the team will return to the appropriate staging area.
f. Team order is determined by the TRC Event Director.

3. Safety
a. Each event will have different personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements. The specific PPE requirements will be briefed at the start of each event by the Event Coordinator. Failure to wear the proper equipment will result in a cease fire and/or a time penalty assessed.
b. Event Support Staff will be positioned at each station.
c. Event Support Staff, Event Coordinators, TRC Event Director, and Competitors can intervene for any necessary reason to ensure the safety of competitors, judges or observers.
d. Out of bounds areas may be designated with cones, caution tape or verbal instructions prior to or during the competition.
e. The TRC Event Director or Event Coordinator can make changes to the format at any time necessary to ensure the safety of competitors or necessary to ensure success of the competition.
f. Any competitor or staff can advise of an unsafe action and cease an event for safety concerns.
g. There will be no live weapons allowed in the designated scenario training areas. Live weapons need to be secured in vehicles and all persons will be searched who are in a training area. There will be a designated site security officer on grounds that will remain armed.

4. Firearms and weapon safety:
a. Treat all weapons as if they are loaded.
b. Always point your weapon in a safe direction (you may use high or low ready).
c. Never point your weapon at anything you do not intend to shoot.
d. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
e. Be sure of your target and beyond.
f. Shooters must take their finger off the trigger and activate the safety selector (if so equipped) while moving to other shooting positions including moving from strong to support side.
g. Before stepping off the line, shooters must place weapons on safe (if equipped), remove the magazine, lock the bolt carrier group/slide to the rear, show clear to the RSO and Event Coordinator and return weapon to a holster, sling and hang long guns, or return the weapon to the staging point. This direction will be provided during the briefing by the Event Coordinator.
h. While utilizing flashbang and smoke devices, visibly check the area prior to deploying. Competitors must wear gloves and eye protection when using these devices.

5. Vehicle Operations Safety:
a. Only a designated, non-competitor TRC staff member (generally a law enforcement officer) will drive vehicles utilized during the events.
b. The vehicles will not move until the doors are closed and the Event Coordinator advises the driver.
c. No persons are to exit the vehicle until it is fully stopped and advised by the driver.
d. In events requiring shooting from a stationary or mobile vehicle, the Event Coordinator will advise clear commands of when to load, engage targets, and properly safe the weapon systems.

6. Force on force:
a. No live weapons, magazines and ammunition are permitted outside of vehicles at the scenario locations.
b. All bolts must be removed from rifles for scenarios 2 & 3 (have your charging handle with you for blue bolt insertion). Competitors/Teams will be advised by the Event Coordinator.
c. All weapons will be inspected and cleared by the individual competitor followed by the team leader who will inform the instructor all live weapons and ammunition are clear. The Event Coordinator and Event Support Staff will confirm the same.
d. For event designated events, competitors will enter a building with a rifle with no bolt carrier group, there will be no opposing force in this section of the building, all persons in this section of the building are off limits for drill/scenario purposes.
e. Instructors will load designated magazines with Simunition rounds and ensure the weapon system in properly set up for force-on-force operations
f. All PPE safety gear must be left in place until permitted to be removed by TRC staff
g. Avoid firing force-on-force weapons within 5 feet of your subject
h. For the designated scenarios, competitors will utilize their own gas masks for face protection.

7. Scoring
a. All events will utilize time-based scoring. Event 1 will first be scored as total repetitions completed by each team. Once all teams have completed Event 1 and placed in rank order, those places will be converted to a time based on the following:
1st 1:00 11th 4:20
2nd 1:20 12th 4:40
3rd 1:40 13th 5:00
4th 2:00 14th 5:20
5th 2:20 15th 5:40
6th 2:40 16th 6:00
7th 3:00 17th 6:20
8th 3:20 18th 6:40
9th 3:40 19th 7:00
10th 4:00 20th 7:20

Ties in Event 1 will both receive the faster time for the rank order placed.
Time will start on the whistle and will stop when the last team member exits the event area (or when time is called, for Event 1).
Teams will be briefed on event expectations prior to the start, but will not be permitted to see score sheets in advance.
The total score will be the aggregate time of all events.
Ranking of teams will move from shortest to longest time. The team with the fastest time will rank in first place.
Time penalties will be assessed as follows:

Corrective action will be the penalty (time it takes to address issue)
• Leaving behind any piece of equipment after crossing the finish line
• Removal of any PPE prior to the finish line (includes gas mask)
• Not following the course of fire or going in the wrong direction.
• Each wrong answer on written exam (this is a designated time penalty)
• Engagement of other team member’s targets

Weapon Handling: Any weapon handling deemed unsafe (including laser safety) will be addressed on an individual basis from a Range Safety Officer (RSO). Warnings may be issued, depending on the severity of the action, which may include a brief pause in your actions to address the issues. If safety issues continue, the RSO will terminate the event and the competitor or team will receive a DNF. If the weapon handling is grossly unsafe or negligent, the TRC Event Director has the discretion to disqualify the competitor or team from the event or the TRC in total. The penalty assessed will be no further points for this iteration.
Medical Components: The medical components of the TRC will use educational scoring. This means that if a team is not properly demonstrating a medical technique, Tactical MD’s will provide time sensitive instruction for a positive training opportunity. There will be no deductions other than the increased time it takes for the proper techniques to be completed. Basic level TCCC/TECC skills will be assessed in the competition. For advanced level providers, after the clock has stopped, advanced skills can be included for an enhanced training opportunity.

The event winner and scores will not be available until the evening awards ceremony. Scoring tables are off-limits to all competitors, including Team Leaders, unless they are escorted by the TRC Director. When possible, TRC scoring staff may disclose preliminary team results however, results are not considered final until the conclusion of the entire TRC event. Should there be a challenge to a preliminary result, the team leader should notify the Event Coordinator and Scoring staff.
For 2024, each team member of the top four teams as well as the top two teams of the “Gauntlet” will receive custom trophies. Some prizes will be awarded to teams based on availability.

Professionalism when interacting with event staff at all levels:
• The Team Leader is the sole representative for the team and is the liaison with TRC staff during the competition.
• Questions on a penalty or decision must be communicated to the Event Coordinator in a professional manner and within 10 minutes of the conclusion of the team’s event. The Event Coordinator will provide a response within 10 minutes. The Team Leader may appeal the Event Coordinator’s decision within 10 minutes. This appeal must be directed to the TRC Event Director.
• Once a decision is rendered by the TRC Event Director, it is final. Arguing will result in a warning. Continued arguing may result in a 30 second penalty for unprofessional behavior.
• Continuation of unprofessional behavior may result in additional 30 second penalties and could result in expulsion from the TRC.

The TRC Director and staff strive to make this a fair competition for all teams. Any modifications to these rules will be explained prior to the beginning of the event and will apply to all teams. Therefore, it is mandatory that one representative from each team attend all team leader meetings.

Alternate Instruction for Unarmed Medics on a Team:
In the event there are unarmed members of a team (maximum of one per team), please use the following changes:
• The unarmed member will need to carry a rifle for consistency.
• They will comply with their agency’s standard operating procedure regarding exposure to risk (e.g. stay behind last point of cover/concealment until safe to move forward).

No alcohol is permitted at the competition by competitors or spectators.
The events and order of events are subject to change if needed.
 

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