Ever Carry a Gun on the Ambulance ?

[EMS Aficionado]

This debate speaks loudly about the culture of EMS.

With the exception of in some very rural areas, hospital Emergency Departments have security. Sometimes they are armed. In a really dangerous area, hospital staff have security walk them to their cars at night.

Hospital based practitioners work in facilities that are in extremely dangerous neighborhoods. They would never walk outside alone. They would never accept the notion that their safety was entirely in their own hands.

EMS providers are too accepting of current practices. Law enforcement should be present on every emergency response. Because, we are healthcare providers. I would be very surprised to see a debate like this in a forum for nurses or respiratory therapists. If their place of work was that dangerous, they would not work there. Why are our expectations for ourselves so low?

We, as a profession, should demand that we are safe. We are healthcare providers. If it is dangerous, then we shouldn't be there alone.

[croaker260]

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.

OK remember "Every EMS system is different".

This BS about guns and EMS dont mix..is well BS.

Every situation is different, every provider is different, and every policy is different. Simply look across the pond ..well several ponds actually..to Israel They provide EMS, yet their service is different, their gun policy is different, and their situation is different.

Trooper-medics on Marylands HEMS carry. NYPD ESU medics carry. I bet a lot of medics carried in NOLA after katrina. I know of a number of TEMS teams that carry who are not LEO's.

We cant always rely on LEO's . LE is NOT the cure all for any unsafe situation, our own mind and tactics are.

The carrying of firearms is just like any other tool. When trained appropriately, when deployed appropriately, and when used appropriately, its not the end of the world.

Its a training and logistical issue..not an ethics one.

[irlemt]

About 10 years ago here in Ireland, our local Ambulance Service and our Nation Police Force wore almost identical Blue shirts (they were very distinctive) and navy blue trousers. There was a court case in our local newspaper where a guy was appearing in court for assaulting a Policeman (or two !) he apologised in court and his excuse was that He thought they were Ambulance men trying to take him to hospital, as if it was a perfectly reasonable excuse.

On the gun theme our Police officers are routinely unarmed ( Pepper spray and ASP type batons only)