Ever Carry a Gun on the Ambulance ?

[crotchitymedic1986]

Obviously LEOs and military are exempt. Just wondered if anyone has or does carry a gun while on-duty ?I realize most organizations have a policy against it, so you can just vote anonymously in the poll if you dont want to "out" yourself. The only time I carried one was the week after the Rodney King riots.

[Arizonaffcep]

I'll echo some of what you said, that (this is except for LEO's and military folks) guns have no place on an EMS rig. That's what PD's for. We are not trained nor equipped to deal with things that might prompt a weapons usage, other than to "bug out!" Much like PD's not trained for dealing with a code arrest. Just my thought.

[Richard B the EMT]

My VAC had written policy that only authorized LEO personnel who also rode as crew with us were allowed to carry an off duty piece, but must be concealed and highly secured on the individual's person, With that, we had 2 members of the NYPD, and one National Parks Service Police member.

We exempted one other member who was a diamond courier, away from the VAC.

(Unwritten policy was, "You shoot them, you treat them.")

[n0ssb]

Yeah I have worn my weapon in a amb--Of course was on duty as a Cop and Emt, in little city I worked in-We were required to carry 24/7. Did not keep me from Driving or Working in the back. Got a problem with psycho's and drunks, then lock it up.. But We didn't have that problem.

[Richard B the EMT]

Further mention: My employer, the FDNY, and the EMS under the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation before them, had written policy that no member was to have on person, or even on department property, a firearm. Violation was an offence, could get you terminated.

[crotchitymedic1986]

So no one in NYEMS was toting on 09/12/01 ?

Edit -- Disregard, stupid question, forgot NY City's strict gun laws.

[rock_shoes]

If you for any reason feel as though you need a gun or even a vest on duty you're doing a piss poor job of evaluating scene safety. That's what the police are for. LEO, Military, and Tactical people being exempt of course.

[Christopher.Collins]

I will never have a reason to carry a firearm on an ambulance as an EMT. Ive driven through cities where gangbangers hang out outside of police stations in the middle of the night, where my seasoned partner would lock the doors on the rig while we are driving in transport. I know of some areas in cities where some medics wont go without police escort. Back during the civil unrest in the 80s a family friend of mine was working as a medic, she never carried and she had bullet holes in her ambulance.

Is there situations where we are put in danger? Yes. Is there situations that may seem safe and not call for PD to be there but then turn sour? Yes. Could there be a time we cant escape and possibly need to defend ourselves? Yea sure. Do you think an EMS agencey would survive long once the news coverage reveals that (even in self defense) an EMT or Medic shot and killed their captor? Probably not. Even if it held up as self defense when the city prosecutes... I would find it doubtfull when the victims family files a suit, even if their child did wrong.

That aside I find that most departments ban personal firearms from even being brought into the station, let alone on the rig. The State of Connecticut has some tight gun laws too... a concealed weapon means CONCEALED... if you have it in the small of your back with your shirt pulled over it, but you can still make out the lines then you can have your permit revoked and depending on where you are you can be arrested. Take into account all of the moving around and flexing we must do in our jobs...

Even if I ever decide to go for State Police, if I make it through the academy and become a trooper I wouldnt carry while at my volly station. CT State Troopers are all issued their own cruiser to keep 24/7 and are technically on call 24/7 as well, so legally Im sure I could carry even as the lead technician on an ambulance anywhere in state, but I would sooner lock it up in my car.

[Christopher.Collins]

If you for any reason feel as though you need a gun or even a vest on duty you're doing a piss poor job of evaluating scene safety. That's what the police are for. LEO, Military, and Tactical people being exempt of course.

Spend some time in Hartford or East Hartford, Connecticut and tell me they do a piss poor job because they need to wear a vest. Some agencies in this state require their employees to wear or have on hand a ballistic vest while most in this area all have vests on board the ambulances.

Just an FYI my EMS agency covers two state prisons, one is max security.

[rock_shoes]

Spend some time in Hartford or East Hartford, Connecticut and tell me they do a piss poor job because they need to wear a vest. Some agencies in this state require their employees to wear or have on hand a ballistic vest while most in this area all have vests on board the ambulances.

Just an FYI my EMS agency covers two state prisons, one is max security.

My opinion stands. If people working in the areas you mention have those kind of safety issues maybe the medics/EMT's working there need to be cross-trained as tactical or be combination police officers. Unless you are educated as such you should not be kitted out as such.