L-A Explorer Posted June 5, 2007 Posted June 5, 2007 Recently our squad members were called out to a boating accident. 3 young adult males, drinking, bottomed their boat out and one was ejected. upon arrival, the two un-injured men started running their mouths, and threatened our E.M.T.'s, thankfully nothing happened. My question is this. Isn't it some kind of elevated penalty for assaulting an emergency team member? If not a felony shouldn't it be a higher misdemeanor? and what do you do in this case? Other than just try to keep your cool.
whit72 Posted June 5, 2007 Posted June 5, 2007 I usually beat them senseless, steal their beer, split it with the PD and commandere their boat. Kidding PD should be with you, if you feel threatened return to your ambulance, call for the police and wait till they arrive, hopefully by then they all have drowned and you wont have much work left to do. Kidding again. If you ever feel threatnend return to your ambulance or a safe distance, get the police involved. Dont get into a pissing contest with a buch of drunks with beer muscles you are in a lose lose situation. Let the police do what they are trained to do when their finished, you can complete what you are there to do. It isnt worth gettin hurt over.
EMSGeek Posted June 5, 2007 Posted June 5, 2007 New York State recently passed a law which makes it a Class C Felony to assault an "EMS Professional" while that person is in the act of rendering aid. I know some other states have similar laws but I don't believe there is anything on the federal level which applies.
JakeEMTP Posted June 5, 2007 Posted June 5, 2007 Whit is correct. On the first day of EMT class you learned to protect yourself first, then your crew, then your pt. You are not of any use to your pt. if you get hurt by these two morons. Besides, Daddy's already going whoop their ass for tearing up the boat. Let LEO handle the drunks, we'll care for the injured drunk.
ladyemt51_2000 Posted June 5, 2007 Posted June 5, 2007 In IL it is a felony to assault an EMT or Firefighter while they are in uniform and on duty. I am unsure of the classof felony, however.
psychemt123 Posted June 5, 2007 Posted June 5, 2007 In some states it is a felony. I know when I lived in Florida It fell under as assault against a LEO (Police Officer, Firefighter or EMS Personnel). It's a shame that these people act violently towards the one that try to help :? - my partner got headbutted by a Pt one night, and the Pt ended up getting an extended jail time on top of other charges that he was facing prior to hitting my partner...
L-A Explorer Posted June 5, 2007 Author Posted June 5, 2007 Luckily I was not on this squad run. Basically right now all I am is lift assist and a "grab that for me" guy. My sister-in-law and another woman that I've know all my life was however. she said that he told her "Its a good thing your a woman or I'd knock you out.'' she also said that she thinks thats the only thing that kept them from going physicaly combatant. one thing that I know will come of all this is that the Ohio D.N.R. is all over these guys now. In ohio your not allowed having any alcohol on any state grounds, including the waterways. I guess that when this happens we all just need to pray that cooler heads can prevail.
scratrat Posted June 5, 2007 Posted June 5, 2007 There is a federal statute somwhere, just not sure where. If you are performing your duties as a firefighter, EMT, or paramedic, you are considered LEO for the purposes of an assualt. Assaulting you is the same as assaulting a police officer with the same punishment. Also, as a side note, if you assault a K-9 dog, it is also considered assaulting a police officer.
Guest CHP medic Posted June 5, 2007 Posted June 5, 2007 In California assualt on an EMT is a misdemeanor unless there is injury involved, then it goes to a felony. It includes firefighters, nurses, doctors and a few other professions. This is also one of the few misdemeanors that allow a peace officer to make an arrest without actually witnessing the crime.
Richard B the EMT Posted June 5, 2007 Posted June 5, 2007 I was under the impression that assault of a uniformed EMS person in New York State was considered a class D Felony, meaning the offender potentially could go to the "Grey-Bar Hotel" for a 7 year "vacation". However, if a patient, the family member(s), the friend(s), or nosy passers-by threaten me or my partner when I am trying to help a patient, "Partner" and I will leave, while radioing for LEO back-up. The headache of that is, the LEOs don't get assigned to all EMS calls, as we don't get assigned to theirs, and we can and do get hurt while our dispatchers landline the PD communications office to request assistance. As I think I have mentioned in a different string, an unruly patient with AOB punched me in the face, I signaled the 10-13 (EMS Needs PD Forthwith), and had the other 2 BLS ambulances, both ALS ambulances, and the supervisor in the district arrive 5 minutes prior to the PD, who only responded when they saw all these EMS vehicles go down a dead-end street, and went to check THAT condition out! They never were told over their radios that we had transmitted the "13", they only heard when we were face to face with them. PS- Despite my protests, no charges were filed!
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