NASA SWAT Teams: Yes, They Do Exist
Chances are, you’ve probably never heard of what we’re going to talk about in this blog post: NASA’s SWAT Teams.
Yeah, you read right. NASA, which stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration, has its own Special Weapons and Tactics Teams. Officially, they are known as the Emergency Response Teams, or ERT for short. Keep reading, as we’re going to cover what they are, what they do, and much more.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
NASA SWAT TEAMS: OVERVIEW
NASA has a lot of cool gadgets and technology that needs protection. NASA had a 22 billion dollar budget for fiscal year 2020, and the U.S. has spent nearly 650 billion dollars on NASA since its creation, so it comes as no surprise that the government wants to ensure its safety and protection.
Now, before you start thinking, “Are they SWAT astronauts?” “Do they train to operate in space?” No, they don't. While that would be really freaking cool, NASA’s Emergency Response teams operate in the Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida.
NASA SWAT TEAMS: TRAINING
RT officers operate in a tight-knit team, and are responsible for emergency situations ranging from hostage and victim rescue to terrorist aggression, workplace violence, active shooters, and hostage negotiation. Each member receives hundreds of hours of training and gets NASA’s Federal Arrest Authority under their belts, enabling each member to function as a law enforcement officer and giving them arrest and apprehension authority. Team members train for around eight hours a week to keep their skills sharp and conduct an annual 88-hour Basic Tactical Operator Course. They receive marksmanship training with handguns, rifles, submachine guns, and shotguns and are expected to maintain proficiency with all of them. This elite unit is no joke - they consistently finish in the top ten of the annual SWAT Roundup International, which is a competition of 55 different SWAT units around the world.
NASA SWAT TEAMS: SELECTION
Well, what does it take to become a member of this highly skilled unit? You’ll have to pass their physical test, which has a mile and a half run, pushups, situps, pullups, and a defense tactics station. Here are the minimums for that test:
- 1.5-mile run within 12 minutes and 30 seconds,
- 41 push-ups within 1 minute,
- 41 sit-ups within 1 minute,
- 5 pull-ups (full extension) within 1 minute,
- Complete the Defense Tactics station within 8 minutes and 30 seconds
NASA SWAT TEAMS: CONCLUSION
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