HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- In times of crisis, it's who's on the front line that can make the difference between success and failure, life and death.

In Huntington this week, more than a dozen medics are being trained in tactical medicine. The goal is to get first responders trained to enter a “hot zone” when law enforcement officers are out in force working a crisis situation.

Jason Ashworth is a Huntington Police Officer with roughly 20 years under his belt. He's also a registered nurse. He's helping train medics from Lawrence County, Ohio.

"It instills a sense of confidence with the officers there knowing they have medical coverage that is steps, or feet or seconds away," Ashworth said.

The type of tactical training going on this week in Huntington is rooted in military training. The key is adapting it to the civilian experience.

"Some of the hurdles or obstacles you encounter is adapting military style into a civilian environment," Ashworth said. "You have laws that prohibit arming medics who are civilians. These are some hurdles that need to be addressed down the road, but initially we're getting the training out of the way.

"If something happens with them, we have a 30 second response time with them, even in the line of fire."