General Categories > Carry Issues
Role of EMS/EMT Personnel in Securing Handgun During Emergency
sidearm1:
First thing we need to learn is that Citizen clark is just a troll trying to stir things up. Second if he does not call 911 for any of his emergencies (I wouldn't want the guvmint to limit his freedom of travel because they might put him in a guvmint vehicle and take him to a guvmint subsidized medical facility) he does not have to worry about anyone taking his weapon. We responded to a scene (no weapon involved) where the driver started out all bubbly and happy to see friends that care about him to almost immediately being violent to the point that I pulled all of my EMTs away until the Deputies could get him restrained. We are going to ask people if they have weapons on them, we will secure the weapons not to make you submit to some type of government intrustion, but to make sure that you or us do not get hurt accidentally or intentially. Once again if you do not want this, don't call 911.
SemperFiGuy:
Thanks Now to Each & All of You EMS/EMT/FF Folks Who Have Responded So Far to This Forum Topic
In your everyday world of work, you encounter Blood In The Streets. The Rest of Us drive by slowly, trying to get a glimpse of the scene. We leave; you stay on the spot with the chaos, pain, and gore. These experiences with human tragedy certainly give your comments great credibility so far as I'm concerned.
Also---You are the ideal group to comment. LEOs are traditionally tight-lipped and perhaps a bit suspicious outside their own group of fellow LEOs. Probably for valid reasons.
I've already used these postings to update my CHP instructional PowerPoints, filling in with some of the important details that you provided. Your responses will help me to help future CHP students, starting with this coming Saturday's class.
Excellent dialogue and information flow here. Hope it continues on.
sfg
Famous556:
I feel like I can give a little bit of insight here. I am a paramedic and work in the 911 field and also for a private outfit.
This seems to be a hot topic, but I'm not really sure what the big issue is. One of the things that I've yet to see mentioned except by sjwsti is that when people are being transported in an ambulance they are being transported to a hospital, specifically an emergency room, which is a prohibited place by state statute... all of you learned this in CCW class. Securing a weapon prior to transport should be a no brainer, I would much rather have a LEO handle and secure my weapon than a hospital security guard who may have little to no training or familiarity with firearms.
I've been on countless calls where someone has tried to hit me or kick me or bite me or fight me, most of the people performing those actions are people who would otherwise be normal respectable people. The fact is that both traumatic injuries and medical conditions can and frequently do make people act like they wouldn't normally. People with head injuries from car accidents for example can be very aggressive. People can be unconscious and then wake up enroute to the hospital and try to fight their way off of a backboard all the while not having any idea what they are doing. Diabetic patients who are hypoglycemic are very often aggressive and confused. A particular patient comes to mind that was the most kind and reasonable guy when he didn't have a problem, but when his blood glucose would get low he would turn into the incredible hulk and try to fight us off the entire time. Each time this happened and we corrected the situation he would explain that he remembered trying to fight us and would apologize profusely and thank us for helping him. The simple fact is that sick and injured people can and often do behave in ways that are completely out of character.
One of the first things that EMTs and paramedics are taught to do upon reaching a scene is to ensure the scene is safe. Just a few points down the list when reaching a patient is to establish a mental status for that patient. This is incredibly easy and can be done through nothing more than talking to someone to determine their demeanor and if they are responding appropriately.
The way I see it this part of the statute is a well thought out piece of law (That is probably the only time you will ever read those words from my keyboard). Making sure the scene is safe is the primary part of my job. If I'm injured because I didn't do that, then the patient is not getting any better as the remaining (and now short handed) EMTs try to care for two patients. I think it's entirely reasonable for EMS or fire to have the ability to disarm someone when its necessary.
Some of you folks on here sound the same as the anti's do when they scream about blood in the streets when CCW is brought up, except its disarmament and infringement in the streets from the big bad EMTs. I'm all for protecting and expanding every bit of our rights we can, but lets put our focus on the right people. EMTs are a different breed that's for sure, but we're not bad people who are looking to disarm everybody we come across..... remember I'm on and give money to the same board as you guys.
My general opinion of government and people is that most people are reasonable and should be left to their own choices and consequences, and government should keep out of the everyday mans life. Those on here stating that EMTs are agents of the state just sounds a bit nutty. I never did get my agent of the state license along with my EMS license (which by the way is granted first by a private outfit and then given direct reciprocity by the state), but maybe I should call and check on that, perhaps its hidden on my license in some top secret ink that's only visible under an IR designator.
gsd:
ProMed or AMR?
Famous556:
Negative and negative.
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