Tasers

[JPINFV]

Hey, Richard have you had the pleasure of meeting "Manny Joules" ?

Watt about him?

[Eydawn]

I'd work with the PD and your state EMS office to figure out how great the need is and to get protocols for the taser use written if you guys insist on carrying them... that way you're covered.

Don't just pack a taser. Have paperwork behind it. It's all a game of dodge the lawyer...

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[Just Plain Ruff]

I work in a rural area where the sheriff's office can be up to an hour away. (between 0400 and 0800 they have no-one on duty) some of the crew have requested that the EMS dept purchase tasers. I dont really want to be on the forefront of this one.

ok, let me ask this obvious question, What the Hell do you need a taser for when you should not be entering the scene without sheriff clearing it.

Do you guys go in scenes that are unsafe to begin with just because it's an hour or more for Law enforcement to get there?

If the scene is one that requires that ems staffers are needing tazers then your service has a HUGE problem to address before you even think about getting tazers.

One other thing, if you are using the tazers that are the same as law enforcement don't those look like guns? If you pull the tazer gun on a patient and someone sees you pull the gun it is a possibility that you will get shot. EMS Carrying anything that remotely resembles a gun is a recipe for disaster.

I can't believe this is even being brought up in your service.

One more thing, tell me where you live, in what town and all so I can go rob the local liquor store or the local wal mart. I'm guaranteed to get away. Your area has more problems than just your medics thinking they need to be johnny deputy. What happens when law enforcement is needed? Are they on call or what? I'd be curious.

[Dustdevil]

ok, let me ask this obvious question, What the Hell do you need a taser for when you should not be entering the scene without sheriff clearing it.

Okay, let me ask these obvious questions:

• 1. Do your law enforcement agencies respond to one-hundred percent of your scenes, including all sick calls and transfers?

2. Do you actually assume that a scene is absolutely, completely safe simply because some fat, lazy, undereducated cop, who is late for his next doughnut break, says it's "clear"?

3. Have you never encountered violence on a scene where cops were present?

4. Have you never encountered violence on a scene where cops were not present?

5. Have you never watched television and seen that violence is just as likely to erupt with cops present as with them not present?

6. Have you never watched television and seen that sometimes the cops end up on the losing end?

• I'm not convinced that Tasers are the answer, but I am absolutely convinced that there is a serious need for EMS providers to have the means to defend themselves from violence and aggression on the job, and that the cops do little to mitigate that threat.

[Just Plain Ruff]

[Dustdevil]

I think that there is a more dangerous dynamic going on here though. With law enforcement being at least an hour away it sounded like the crews were entering dangerous scenes without law enforcement present. That's the recipe for disaster I was referring to.

Ahhh! Now I'm with you! While I don't know that I am absolutely against EMS personnel carrying weapons, I do know that I am against them being used to give providers a false sense of security, and thinking they no longer need to wait for law enforcement support before entering questionable scenes.

[Just Plain Ruff]

that was exactly what I was trying to say in a long roundabout way of doing so.

[mshow00]

I understand Ruff and Dust comments and I agree I am not comfortable using or carrying a teaser, but there are areas in our coverage that regardless of the call the police will not show up. And if they even do show up, they are terrible at clearing a scene, case in point: older teenager shot in local gang violence, police come and clear the scene, victims younger brother about 10 to 12 yo was in the room with the victim and two of our crews. That young kid pulled a gun and told our crews that if he died they would die. Only the quick thinking and fast talking of one of the medics got the young kid out. Case point number 2: Same town similar situation... gang sponsored shooting police on scene... victim loaded into the back of the rig... bystander tells the EMT that if the victim survives they will not. Case in point number 3: again shooting victim loaded into the back of the rig, cop opens back door gets hit in the back of the head knocked out second man jumps on the bumper reaches in and puts three more in the victims chest and this is the same town that it took police five hours to respond to a murder.... my companys medical control Dr is looking into ways our crews can protect themselves since in some areas the police are less than reliable. I, like I'm sure most of you, have reasons not to die tomorrow on the streets, so I will take and do whatever is necessary for that not to happen, including staging for extended amount of time, until police are on scene.

[mshow00]

It all goes back to Basic class 101.... saftey first

[brentoli]

I understand Ruff and Dust comments and I agree I am not comfortable using or carrying a teaser.

Assuming you meant Taser....

If you are not comfortable carrying or using one, stop asking about them. You don't need them.