EMS article on 'pistol packing patients'

[Guns and more]

Nicly written. That department cares for both the EMS workers and patients. I don't know if that is what will happen in the real world. Most likely, your gun will simply disappear.

They did that with my gun, I'd damn straight see them charged with theft!

Oh yeah? Who's going to charge them? You'll be laughed out of town.

Maybe the best reason to NOT carry that valuable, one-of-a-kind pistol.

 

[Hungry Seagull]

I tell you this. If that gun vanishes, I will make a police report and turn it into the insurance company. Those guns are insured for X value.

I will be laughed out of town yes, but money in the bank to replace em.

 

[oaksalad]

After a bad auto accident I was in,the EMT first asked if I was carrying.I said sure.By this time my brothers had shown up at the wreck site and the EMT just gave it to them.I was glad and very greatfull.Those EMT's and Firemen are my heros.God bless them all.

 

[larry_minn]

I sent him a e-mail and got a nice reply. I was at a EMS dinner reciently. I wish I had copies of this when I was there. I hope to get it to a couple folks on local services.

 

[Conqueror]

I had a bad wreck in october with a case of .45 ammo in the trunk. Cartridges were all over the scene. The cops asked me 3 or 4 times where my gun was; I wasn't carrying at the time so I'm glad I didn't have to turn it over to them.

 

[kludge]

Someone should tell them they forgot the most important rule:

Point the gun in a safe direction.

Place the left thumb blocking the hammer. This is your safety.
Hold the right thumb on the hammer.
Press the trigger with the right index finger.
Slowly lower the hammer completely, gradually withdrawing the left thumb.
To unload an uncocked revolver:

 

[snipe300]

Seriously, this is worth stickying.

 

[cleardiddion]

Excellent article!
Definitely sticky this

 

[FFMedic]

I saw this in print this month. Very well written. I'm constantly astounded as to how much my coworkers freak out at the mere sight of a gun in the corner of a house.

FFMedic

 

[coloradokevin]

If you are not a jerk about it, I may just find a way to help a patient. I have stuck my neck out before when a patient was cool about it. I removed the pistol from his holster, unloaded it, and placed it in his backpack. I forgot to tell the hospital that there was a gun in it, and put it in the room with the patient.

Had he started telling me how I was evil, or a thief, or anything else, I would have followed policy and turned it over to the cops. I am not risking my career for someone who is being a jerk.

Granted, there shouldn't be anything for them to worry about when you turn the gun over to the police anyway! Around here that's the way things are handled... We work well with our paramedics, and we'll hang on to any guns found on patients who are unable to care for the weapon at that time. In my jurisdiction that means placing the weapon into our property bureau as "personal property", and leaving a property card with the patient. They can then retrieve the weapon as soon as they leave the hospital. If I were the patient, I'd rather have that happen then to have the weapon left in my backpack in the hospital room while I was in a condition where I couldn't care for that weapon. A LOT of property goes missing at the local hospital(s), and I know of no property that has disappeared from our evidence room!

 

[divemedic]

The problem here, as I pointed out in my previous posts, is that the local sheriff often holds onto any weapon that is in their possession so that it can be tested to see if it has been used in a crime. This process takes a year or longer. It is so tied up in bureaucratic red tape, that you may never see that gun again.

 

[Hungry Seagull]

Well, if such a scenario plays out that the gun is not accessible, we will pull some savings and get it replaced. I dont see any problems replacing a lost gun or one held for a excessive amount of time.

I do think I see a point being "MY Gun, get it back please."

That way when the gun or guns does make it's way back to you you will have a spare.

 

[Texian]

This was a great read, thanks for posting.....

 

[rfurtkamp]

Only real complaint:

Fully automatic pistols, which fire multiple times with one press of the trigger, are rare, but may be encountered with some specialized protective or law enforcement agencies.

Should have been 'but may be encountered with specialized protective or law enforcement agencies or advanced gun collectors.' or its ilk.

While unlikely, the fact is that it *is* possible for legal owners of registered MGs to have them without being cops. And that additional piece of information takes up very little extra space, and indicates that yes, a civilian who has one may not be John T. Criminal.

 

[kd7nqb]

great article thanks for posting it.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

legally armed citizens use holsters, while illegally carried handguns are usually found tucked in the waistband or pocketed without a holster.

Great, so now if an EMS reads the article and finds you with an unholstered gun, he will assume you are some sort of criminal carrying illegally.

Citizens in 48 states can carry concealed weapons with a permit (the exceptions being Illinois and Wisconsin, plus Washington, DC). Permit holders account for more than 1.3% of the population.4 This means more than one in every 100 patients can be assumed to have a permit,

No, 100% of the patients under the age of 18 won't have a permit and a very very low percent 18-21 (for those states with exception such as the military exception in Texas that allows military folks 18-20 to get their CHLs).

So if 1.3% of people in the lower 48 have permits as claimed (I would like to see the data for this), then you can bet the percent is a good bit higher for adults 21 and over.

 

[Zundfolge]

Should have been 'but may be encountered with specialized protective or law enforcement agencies or advanced gun collectors.' or its ilk.

"Advanced gun collectors" generally don't CCW their FA pieces (are there any transferable Glock 18s out there?)

The problem here, as I pointed out in my previous posts, is that the local sheriff often holds onto any weapon that is in their possession so that it can be tested to see if it has been used in a crime. This process takes a year or longer. It is so tied up in bureaucratic red tape, that you may never see that gun again.

Clearly that's wrong but it does illustrate the point that our carry guns are disposable tools. Don't CCW a gun you can't afford to replace (or have serious emotional attachment to). Leave the Larry Vickers custom 1911 or HK P7M10 in the safe.

 

[rfurtkamp]

"Advanced gun collectors" generally don't CCW their FA pieces (are there any transferable Glock 18s out there?)

Generally, but then again, you're not likely to encounter LEOs with them either.

And weapons in that instance would include concealed ones in a case, shoulder holster, carry-on bag, or whatever as well.

Let's say I get in an auto accident and have to deal with EMTs - I may well have a MP5K clone in my "laptop" case or in a shoulder holster if I'm (a) in the mood (b) transporting other valuables or cash (c) on the way to or from a shooting event.

Doesn't have to be a G18 to be a concealable auto is all.

 

[makarovnik]

I would call the police and report the gun stolen. If nothing else I would make them spend some time tracking it down and make them explain why a legally carried gun was confiscated.

I would then sue whoever took it (EMT, hospital, local police).

 

[Dookie]

Excellent article, thanks for posting

 

[divemedic]

I would call the police and report the gun stolen. If nothing else I would make them spend some time tracking it down and make them explain why a legally carried gun was confiscated.

I would then sue whoever took it (EMT, hospital, local police).

Look, I agree that this practice is wrong in a moral sense, but there are a couple of things to remember here:

1 You will be arrested and charged with filing a false police report.

2 You cannot sue me as the EMT that turned it over to the police, because I TURNED IT OVER TO THE POLICE.

3 To be honest, if I knew that was your attitude, as your EMT I would be much less likely to do you a favor and help you out, thereby putting my own job on the line, and much more likely to turn the weapon over to the cops.

 

[Matt-J2]

Along with what divemedic said...

Well, of all the people in the world you could decide to piss off, I think EMTs/Paramaedics are at or near the top of the list of people to make happy, instead.

Suing them for doing what they're required to do, while(potentially?) saving your life, seems like a real good way to have them forget to gas up the ambulance next time you need a pick-up.

 

[Brian Dale]

Matt, I think that you mis-spelled "seems like a real good way to have them decide not to do, as favors for you, some permissible and appropriate things which are outside the scope of their duties."