any EMT's or Paramedic's CCW ?

[blakec3686]

Hi all
i have a question about EMT's and ccw. last night a friend of the family was having diunner with us and the subject of being an EMT came up (im thinking of becoming an EMT/Paramedic ) and my bud told me his brother was a paramedic and that his biggest worry was being the first responder and being assaulted. He works in a very bad area of a large metro city and at this point if he feels threatened or believes he may be in danger he will not get out of his ambulance untill police arrive. this got me thinkin, .... how many paramedics carry while they work . if you are an EMT or know someone please share your input i was wondering how they carry and mabe what , also how do there employers feel about it?
thanks alot for the info i really appreciate it
Blake

 

[P0832177]

First Rule Of EMS
The Safety of you and your partner comes first
Second Rule of EMS
See Rule #1

If the scene is not safe you do not enter! And, I am pretty sure that 99+% of non LE based ems providers have rules about carrying firearms while on the job! A fully loaded ambulance is a lethal weapon! Most EMS agencies provide body armor these days!

 

[blakec3686]

hmm well i definently agree with the safety first and im glad to hear about the body armor....not to happy about the no firearms policy but cant have everything i guess. I would still rather carry just in case becuase i think if someone was really badly hurt i would probrobly take the rist of my saftey ( in the past i been known to disregard my saftey because of others in need of help) this is why i been thinkin about being an EMT.
blake

 

[SMLE]

This was discussed on another thread here: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=106417

I'm in EMT school now, so this is all very interesting to me as well.

 

[blakec3686]

SMLE: thanks for pointing it out i just searched for emt /paramedic and nuthin came up. most of the stuff that applies to the VFD also goes for EMT's so i guess ill just see where the road takes me hopefully i wont be in cali so i can get my ccw.
Blake

 

[P0832177]

Third Rule of EMS
DEAD HEROES SAVE NO LIVES

You need to really think long and hard about doing STUPID THINGS! Stupid gets people hurt, stupid gets people killed. So you can brandish all the false bravado you want! But, if you were my partner I would throttle you right then and there! I have more initials after my name then you do at the point in in my career!

So get that John Wayme mentality out of your head right now! There are people who are trained to use firearms. Let then cover your ass! We do not need any loose cannons in EMS! We need dedicated professionals!

 

[Thumper]

So you can brandish all the false bravado you want! But, if you were my partner I would throttle you right then and there!

I hereby nominate the above as the most ironic back to back statements I've read on THR.

So from what I've read, you guys are required to go into volatile situations unarmed for very little pay. Nice.

There are people who are trained to use firearms. Let then cover your ass!

Guess you're not a proponent of CCW, huh?

So if you've got a domestic with a stabbed wife bleeding out in the kitchen, you're going to sit in the ambulance with the doors locked 'til Johnny Law shows up?

 

[SMLE]

P0832177

Chill out dude.

Nobody's talking about being "John Wayne". This IS a reasonable line of questioning, so get down off your high horse.

 

[444]

As I mentioned in that other thread, I do not carry on duty.
I also told a couple war stories in that other thread. You really need to know what you are doing and pay attention to what is going on around you. I have been in a lot of very bad situations. You need to make judgement calls as to whether the scene is safe or not and yes, you very well might not get out of the truck on a call until the scene has been cleared by law enforcement. Unfortunately, the rationale behind these decisions only come with experience, so hope you get an experienced partner.
Not that it matters, but I have been working as a paramedic full time since 1984.
I don't regularly wear body armor on duty. We were issued flak jackets years ago. I am not even sure where mine is now. They won't stop a bullet, so I don't see the point. There are events however where we are issued Level 4 body armor (such as New Year's Eve).

"So from what I've read, you guys are required to go into volatile situations unarmed for very little pay. Nice."

You might be surprised. I just qualified to buy a $400,000 house with no money down while keeping my present home and the two 1 1/4 acre pieces of property I bought as an investment. Don't make any blanket statements.

 

[neil]

I work as an EMT part-time and would never think of ccw'ing at work.

Simply too much of a risk factor if you ask me - I'm not getting out of my bus until the scene is safe, period.

If we roll up on a welfare check or something that looks fishy - I'm requesting a leo and I'll sit in the truck until they get there.

The weapon stays in the glovebox of my locked vehicle.

 

[P0832177]

You people are freaking scary!

#1 What part of scene safety did you fail to comprehend? Must have been all of it! I personally have held up till three deputies arrived on scene and then broke out the long guns before entering a scene! And, the call was for one down and unresponsive!

#2 You and your partner have families to go home to!

#3 Like I said I have more initials them some snot nosed EMT student! I earned them a long time ago! I have had guns pointed at me! So make no mistake things happen, it is called life! But to intentionally create a situation with little or no training in the use of lethal force, weapons retention, and let alone the liability you are freaking nuts!

 

[rbrowning]

I would think that trying to carry on duty is more of a liability than an asset.

Your first duty is to protect your self. If the situation is preceived as too dangerious, get out.

Your second duty is to the victim/patent. If you are giving them the attention they deserve you can not be scanning the area to maintain a really good situational awareness. The reverse is also true.

Third, if you are paying atention to the victim. you may end up printing, flashing or even dropping your weapon. That could envoke some real interesting responces from the hyper-emotionally charged relatives. Can you just imagine the film on the evening news with the mother of the drive by shooting victim saying how you came there prepared to shoot more people?

 

[SMLE]

Like I said I have more initials them some snot nosed EMT student!

So do any of those initials say "GOD"?
For your information Mr P0832177, while I'm new to the EMT game I am hardly "snot nosed". Now if you would READ what people are posting, we're agreeing with you about scene safety and letting the LEOs do thier jobs.

For example, 444 said:

As I mentioned in that other thread, I do not carry on duty.

and Neil said;

I work as an EMT part-time and would never think of ccw'ing at work.

Then rbrowning said:

I would think that trying to carry on duty is more of a liability than an asset. Your first duty is to protect your self. If the situation is preceived as too dangerious, get out.

Your personal attacks and nasty remarks about others are hardly the "high road".

 

[P0832177]

First off the question could be characterized as stupid, and then someone could post the question not asked is stupid. But, if you look at the best medics and the best emt's out there they all possess one key trait=common sense. And, no it it not about being GOD! I know some volunteer EMT's that posses more street smarts then a fresh out medic class paramedic. And, then the other extreme comes into play here too.

Just remember this one
What is a paramedic without equipment?=EMT
What is an EMT without equipment?=Interested bystander!
What is an interest bystander?=Someone getting in the way of those tasked with taking care of the problem!

Not special about that! But for someone to take the time to dream up the stupiditiy of carrying while at work well they deserve everything that comes their way. I have seen plenty of CCW holders are just nothing more then arm chair commnados. Yeah read that again! I have taken my fair share of training! I know the type! Just like the snot nosed EMT student who gains a bit of knowledge from a few hours through a class. Yeah the term those wiith a little knowledge become dangersous. Yeah I know your type Roberta and Ricky Resque. And, your the one that has the Dyna Med and Gall catalogs strewn right beside their computer screen almost like porn! Ring any bells? Yeah! I know you! Do not kid yourself, you are the chapter president of the Lookie Lew or Louise Club!

Proud Member of the Blue and Gold Glitter Club

 

[pax]

That's about enough of that.

We don't do things that way on the High Road, people.

pax