Forcing Entry to Get to Paitents

[countrygirl24to]

In the area in which I live the Police do welfare or well being checks whatever you want to call it. If EMS is needed, then police will call back in for the EMS unit but other than that the door kicking is left for the Police to handle.

[JPINFV]

I agree with Brent. Our PD takes care of welfare checks and with then call us if we're needed. I do not believe you can legally gain entry unless the individual themselves called, but don't take my word on that. I would remind you dispatch that EMS stands for emergency medical services and should be used only if there is an emergency. Checking on the status of a little old lady does not qualify as an emergency unless said little old lady is known to be having some sort of medical dilemma.

Using your argument, assuming that there is no problems concerning entry, is not a law enforcement problem either. I don't see anything about health care or social services in law enforcement. Using the "what part of 'Emergency' in EMS are they not understanding" argument is just about putting the work off on someone else. Ironically enough, it's the same argument people use to justify treating psych patients as criminals instead of medical patients.

[AnthonyM83]

Start asking for them everytime. Annoy the piss out of them.

No, because we need them to respond to us ASAP when we call for help. It's not the individual officers that don't respond to these calls, they're just never even dispatched to them. It's a very busy area and we all kind of take on extra tasks and do without other resources.

[brentoli]

It's a very busy area and we all kind of take on extra tasks and do without other resources.

That shouldn't be your problem. Thats the thing. Police are used to dealing with these situations every day. You shouldn't be given the task of walking up to someones house that no one has seen for 2 weeks and finding out if they are ok or not. In fact I would say atleast here, 75% of those calls are nothing. And honestly I can't remember one EMS was dispatched to. One of three things happen:

1) They went on vacation and didn't tell one person

2) They died 2 weeks ago

3) That person that called just wasn't observant.

Seriously Anthony, your system is setting its self up for some liabilty by going to all of these welfare checks. We don't even send an ambulance to the scene alone on an unknown lifeline alarm. They go in with PD.

[CBEMT]

Most of the fire departments around here send an engine, ambulance, and PD for a welfare. Since PD is usually the last to show, fire will decide whether or not they're going to force. Typically they will try to get into an open window first, using a ladder if necessary (second floor windows are usually the ones to be open).

[johnbasic]

out here in new hamsphire we do it all the time and we havent got anything saying we cant but that is out there

[zippyRN]

<snip>

Using your argument, assuming that there is no problems concerning entry, is not a law enforcement problem either. I don't see anything about health care or social services in law enforcement. Using the "what part of 'Emergency' in EMS are they not understanding" argument is just about putting the work off on someone else. Ironically enough, it's the same argument people use to justify treating psych patients as criminals instead of medical patients.

the primary purpose of a olice force is to 'protect life and property' - welfare checks are part of that

EMS is Emergency MEDICAL Services -

also realistically the police or whoever provides technical rescue are more likely to have methods of entry tools never seen an ambulance with a 'big red key ' (enforcer door ram) but most MoE trained police officers will have one in the boot of their patrol car

[AnthonyM83]

the police or whoever provides technical rescue are more likely to have methods of entry tools never seen an ambulance with a 'big red key ' (enforcer door ram) but most MoE trained police officers will have one in the boot of their patrol car

I've ridden in dozens of police cars from different agencies and don't think any of them had a door ram in the trunk as a standard patrol unit tool...

But anyway, we leave the entry up to the FD. LA has a horrible EMS system. Out of all the things that could expose us to liability, this is probably like 134596th on the list. :-/

[Scaramedic]

In one system I worked in we would only respond to welfare checks on elderly patients. If someone hasn't heard from their 20 yo daughter that was pd's job. If someone hadn't heard from grandpa we were dispatched along with pd.

Now here comes my cute little story. We get on scene with PD, walk up on the porch and see in the window on elderly female who presents with the typical severe CVA look and is barely breathing.

The front door is locked so PD's is going to kick it & I ask if I can do it. Officer says no problem. OK I have seen a lot of movies so i know how to kick a door, hard!! So i kick this door as hard as I can. Not only does it open, it flies open rips off the hinges and bounces off a table full of knick knack type crap.

:shock:

Apparently word got around PD and I was never allowed to kick open a door again.

Peace,

Marty

[JohnnyHero]

I know you have heard it all up and down this list, but we call PD if it is anything other than a regestered life-alert system.