ADDED TO YOUR JOB DISCRIPTION:

[spenac]

I can see so many false reports. Somebody would probably call in this if seen.

[web:ba97ad63ee]http://www.lonestarairsoft.com/forums/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/2866/si/guns[/web:ba97ad63ee]

[Richard B the EMT]

If I remember correctly, toy guns are supposed to have an obvious red or orange plug in the end of the barrels. These do.

However, in an attempt to hide in plain sight, what if I paint the muzzles of my AK-47s a bright orange? (This is figuratively speaking. Like a lot of us, I have been to too many shootings to even think of weapons ownership for myself. I know and recognize others on this web site are more comfortable with them than I am. So be it!)

As for seeing obvious weapons, I had a call where one entire wall was covered with a large assortment of swords, broadswords, rapiers, 2-handers, basket hilt, gladius, samurai/ninja, daggers, and throwing stars, as well as some weapons I don't recall type by name, but the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles probably would have had a field day with them. I'm ready to call for NYPD backup, when the patient turns to me, and asked me how my girlfriend, Johanna, was, by name, as she hadn't been to the Dojo in a few weeks! Turns out, he was a black belt student of Shogotan Karate at the same self defence school (Dojo) Johanna, a purple belt, had temporarily dropped due to an injury.

So, while exercising caution, remember that things might not be what they seem! Follow your instincts, and, if you were wrong, apologize. If you were right, hopefully, you and your partner(s) will be safe.

[spenac]

So, while exercising caution, remember that things might not be what they seem! Follow your instincts, and, if you were wrong, apologize. If you were right, hopefully, you and your partner(s) will be safe.

It will be hard to apologize with them in gitmo.

You mentioned the what if of painting real guns to appear fake. Well sadly many do not know that toys have red/orange on them and seeing that number of guns real or not would panic. Many have no clue what is an automatic firearm or not. Personally I live in an area where almost everyone has guns. Most have many guns of all types. So now because they have multiple guns should I report them, I hope not because then I have to report myself even though all are legally owned. I have on many occasions gone on welfare checks where the patient or family members have wanted to show me their new guns. Just because we are not comfortable there is no reason to get somebody investigated. If it costs them their job while held pending investigation your apology aint going to mean jack. We are not trained to be spys and should not be spys. If someone is up to no good and calls for EMS they are 1 going to hide all bad guy toys or 2 take and kill us and use our uniforms and ambulance to commit bad guy attack.

[CBEMT]

However, we are talking about poking around to find something that isn't necessarily in sight.

When were we talking about that?

[Scaramedic]

Let's change the situation a bit, to the ole ticking bomb scenario.

You have Timothy McVeigh with respiratory distress. He states that when he set off a ten minute fuse for truck bomb the smoke irritated his asthma. He is in severe distress, he had to tell you that in one word sentences. He won't tell you anymore. It's been about seven minutes since he lit the fuse. There is no time for PD to get there and question him.

Do you withhold treatment until he tells where the bomb is?

Would you do "other" things to extract the information?

Tick

Tick

Tick...

If this sounds like a dumb scenario, McVeigh really did set off a ten minute fuse and walked away from the truck. He made it several blocks to his car before the bomb went off.

RIP those lost in the Murrah Building Bombing, no disrespect intended.

[Scaramedic]

And one of them hot staffers from 24 who walk around in the dresses with the stacks of paper. I want one of them too.

This is the only 24 staffer available, sorry. :?

[Lone Star]

Let's change the situation a bit, to the ole ticking bomb scenario.

You have Timothy McVeigh with respiratory distress. He states that when he set off a ten minute fuse for truck bomb the smoke irritated his asthma. He is in severe distress, he had to tell you that in one word sentences. He won't tell you anymore. It's been about seven minutes since he lit the fuse. There is no time for PD to get there and question him.

Do you withhold treatment until he tells where the bomb is?

Would you do "other" things to extract the information?

Tick

Tick

Tick...

If this sounds like a dumb scenario, McVeigh really did set off a ten minute fuse and walked away from the truck. He made it several blocks to his car before the bomb went off.

RIP those lost in the Murrah Building Bombing, no disrespect intended.

The big question here is...first off, is there anything you can really do even IF he tells you where it is? Since there's no time for PD to get there, evacuation seems hopeless as well......

[Scaramedic]

You could move the truck that's about it. Then the question becomes how far are you willing to go to save others?

[DwayneEMTP]

You could move the truck that's about it. Then the question becomes how far are you willing to go to save others?

I disagree. (though perhaps this is a different question)

How long are you willing to withhold patient care to figure out that this is a psych patient?

Get him in the truck, treat appropriately, notify the authorities there was a threat and move on.

I have a hard time believing any of us is going to allow an obvious threat to go unreported based on fear of a HIPAA violation. I think the real question is this: Do we allow EMS to become a target on MANY calls, so that we can have the miniscule chance that one of you will recognize the one in 10 million (Ok, so I pulled that number out of my butt) people that might be a terrorist?

And how many innocent people are going to be reported in the meanwhile? It would be nice to think that we could say, "You know, these folks gave me the heeby jeebies" and someone would simply take a look at them. But as evidenced by Scars removal of a medics age and name in another thread, throwing out this information ruins people's lives!

Let EMS stick to what it does best. Make people, on a terrible day of their lives, feel a little better.

Report what makes you go "Oh shit!" And leave the rest to the cops.

Dwayne

[Scaramedic]

I disagree. (though perhaps this is a different question)

How long are you willing to withhold patient care to figure out that this is a psych patient?

Get him in the truck, treat appropriately, notify the authorities there was a threat and move on.

I have a hard time believing any of us is going to allow an obvious threat to go unreported based on fear of a HIPAA violation. I think the real question is this: Do we allow EMS to become a target on MANY calls, so that we can have the miniscule chance that one of you will recognize the one in 10 million (Ok, so I pulled that number out of my butt) people that might be a terrorist?

And how many innocent people are going to be reported in the meanwhile? It would be nice to think that we could say, "You know, these folks gave me the heeby jeebies" and someone would simply take a look at them. But as evidenced by Scars removal of a medics age and name in another thread, throwing out this information ruins people's lives!

Let EMS stick to what it does best. Make people, on a terrible day of their lives, feel a little better.

Report what makes you go "Oh shit!" And leave the rest to the cops.

Dwayne

That quote of mine was in relation if he actually told you where the bomb was and it was real. Would you be willing to risk your life to move it.

Sorry I didn't want to push the opinions one way or another on this. I am just curious what everyones opinion is. So far two against. Anyone else?