Ep 120: CCP vs AEP
Episode 120
Dec 15, 2025
Duration: 27:34
Episode Summary
Today’s episode explores the roles and differences of Casualty Collection Points (CCPs) and Ambulance Exchange Points (AEPs) in active shooter and mass casualty responses. The conversation focuses on how these sites fit into warm zone operations, how timing and coordination around them affect victim outcomes, and why early planning for both locations matters.
Episode Notes
In this episode, the team breaks down the real-world differences between a Casualty Collection Point (CCP) and an Ambulance Exchange Point (AEP), why they matter, and how to set them up so you save more lives in an active shooter or mass casualty event.
Episode 120 dives into working in the warm zone and explains how CCPs and AEPs function together to move victims rapidly from point of injury to definitive care, while maintaining responder safety. The team discusses who should establish the CCP, how law enforcement Contact Teams drive early triage and security, and why CCPs are not just a “medical” job.
You’ll hear practical tactics on:
- Defining and securing a CCP in the warm zone so Rescue Task Forces can work safely
- What makes an AEP different from a traditional MCI loading zone
- Prioritizing which “reds” go first and using medical judgment beyond simple triage tags
- Matching patient loads to available medics without overwhelming the ambulance crew
- Coordinating tactical, triage, and transport to avoid fatal delays in getting ambulances to the AEP
Whether you’re law enforcement, fire, EMS, or an incident commander, this episode will help you visualize how CCPs and AEPs should work on your next high-threat incident.
View this episode at: https://youtu.be/0tvPO0lvEVs