This will be an overview and case study of EMS response challenges during civil unrest operations in Austin during the summer of 2020. Large, moving, and sometimes hostile crowds, the variety of illnesses and injuries and multiple casualty incidents, interface with other public safety units as well as ad-hoc civilian medical organizations complicated preparedness in ways not often faced with other mass gathering events. Prolonged operational medical support unmasked challenges of maintaining force health protection at a time when COVID cases in Austin were skyrocketing.

Dr. Jason Pickett serves as the EMS System Deputy Medical Director for the City of Austin and Travis County, Texas. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Wright State University. He provides medical oversight and support to the Austin, Texas Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety SWAT in this capacity. Dr. Pickett is the Tactical EMS Co-Chair for the Special Operations Medicine Scientific Assembly and is a member of the Guidelines and Practice Committee for the National Association of EMS Physicians. He is also a member of the Guidelines Committee for the Committee on Tactical Emergency Casualty Care. Dr. Pickett is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine and Subspecialty Board Certified in Emergency Medical Services. Before his position in Austin, Dr. Pickett served as the Director of the Center for Prehospital and Operational Medicine at Wright State University. He has served as Medical Director for several fire departments and police SWAT teams in the Dayton, Ohio area. He is currently a Major in the West Virginia Army National Guard as a Battalion Surgeon in a special operations unit.