Body Armor / Ballistic Protection

[Medic One]

This is a good topic I think.

80% of our staff wear Body Armor while working...how about you?

We are an innercity EMS agency that share the same style of uniform with the police. Badge/pins/uniform color/coat all look the same with the exception of the patches and what we wear on our duty belts.

We feel it is mostly for our safety but most of us really wear them to reduce blunt trauma should we get in am accident.

Tell me your story about why you choose to wear one or why you want to get one.

Do you think that your agency should atleast provide universal fitting "Outer Wear" body armor to leave in the truck should you get unfortunetly caught in a situation wear you think you may need it.

[CanadaEMT]

I wear one by choice (had to buy for school), i work in a rural setting that is mainly First Nations Reserves, I find that most of the people who live on them are harmless, but you never know what you could walk into or what situation you will face. I wear it on every call for this reason. I have not ran into any problems with anyone yet.

[Medic One]

I wear one by choice (had to buy for school)

Had to buy it for school?

PLEASE Explain!!

[mobey]

Had to buy it for school?

PLEASE Explain!!

It is really self-explanitory.

Anyone going on practicum in a service that requires them (which is most urban or first nation reserve services) requires the students to wear them as well as the staff. Therefore, you get fitted, and purchase a vest.

[Medic One]

Just suprised the school made you purchase it not knowing if you would pass the program. I would think it would be provided as an outer wear to students.

[mobey]

Just suprised the school made you purchase it not knowing if you would pass the program. I would think it would be provided as an outer wear to students.

You purchase the vest just prior to practicum. So you have passed all the didactic, it is just a matter of street time.

The school will not supply the vests since they are custom made/fitted to each student, you could imagine how many they would need to stock to fit every sized student they see. (case in point: I am 6'5 & 153lbs... What are the chances of having the right size in stock?)

On a political side.... You can also see the possibility of a lawsuit if a student was injured while wearing one that was sized/deemed "good enough" as supplied by the school, instead of PERFECT as supplied by the manufacturer.

[Kiwiology]

The Police have outer vests here which are stab and bulletproof. There has been some talk of the need of for Ambulance Officers' to get them.

Problem is they are not cheap at about $700 each x ~3,000 Officers ... works out at over $2 million.

Also you ever tried to carry the Lifepak, resus pack and oxygen or stair chair with a stab vest on? ...

[Medic One]

you ever tried to carry the Lifepak, resus pack and oxygen or stair chair with a stab vest on? ...

Yeah I wear a vest Level 3 everyday for over 10years (not the same vest for those wondering)....It comes down to body conditioning....the first few months I wore one I was not a happy...I was soaking wet from sweat all the time...now I seem to sweat less or conditioned my body to accept the extra body heat I carry under the vest. Cool towels on the back of the neck and frequent tee shirt changes help out a lot in the summer months....and yes humid days still suck but I manage to get through it.

We have many multi-story apartments with no elevators in our city so frequent carrying is done.

Edited March 14, 2010 by Medic One

[Dustdevil]

I am 6'5 & 153lbs...

Holy crap! I sure hope that was a metric to US conversion FAIL!

I don't work anymore, so I won't skew your poll numbers with a vote.

On the streets of the Dallas area, I wore a level IIa Second Chance starting around 1980. Bought a new level II in 86, with more wraparound coverage and a level IIIa plate. That one saved my life in 1989.

At my last gig, it was level III armour by Global Armour of South Africa. Level IV ESAPI plates too, but that was Iraq.

This issue has been thoroughly cussed and discussed here, sometimes to the point of people being banned, lol. Be warned.

Mike, I find it interesting that you are so pro-vest, but so anti-helmet! Damned impressed that your agency has such high compliance though! But I'm thinking your vest is probably IIIa, not III.

Edited March 14, 2010 by Dustdevil

[Kiwiology]

Ah the eighties back in the day when drug dealers drove round in LTDs with .41 Magnums and the cops were bad and would shake you down in thier leather jackets with wooden nightsticks .... back when the Paramedics carried Lifepak 10s and used lidocaine.

Oh how times have changed and Dallas got rough and you can't drive through Oak Cliff without getting shot at.

Edited March 14, 2010 by kiwimedic