Bulletproof Vests

I've been in EMS a while, as have my brothers, and my father was a medic in the days before it was cool. Do you know how many of us have ever worn protective vests? Yep, none. And do you know how many of us have been injured or had "close calls"? Also none.

That's because we were taught (and had the common sense) not to get into situations that were out of our control. Sure, I've been in fights with combative patients and been threatened by a host of nut balls. But does a vest protect you from a punch in the face? Nope.

I've never been shot at. I've never been stabbed.

Also, I have a good head on my shoulders and "keep my head on a swivel" well enough to know when not to go. I'm happy to stage out and not go dashing in to save the day. Or on the few occasions where things suddenly went sideways, I was always smart enough to see it coming and drop everything and hightail it back out the door.

While there have been a few well-publicized incidents involving EMS safety recently, I don't think that those responders would have been better served by wearing bullet proof vests.

Those firefighters gunned down in New York? Do you really think the FD is going to wear vests to a structure fire? The crew that was taken hostage? I don't think that vests are going to help them in a close quarters shooter situation.

Things do happen. A call can go sideways. But vests aren't much protection if you're face to face with a guy with a gun to your head. And if you're faced with a potentially violent patient, why go in in the first place?
 
Do you guys who say you would only wear one if a scene looked dangerous also only wear PPE if a patient looks sick?

As a cop I was shot at twice. Neither time was on a dangerous call, and neither time was I expecting any problems.

Around here some of our medics/EMTs wear white shirts with nice shiny badges. Here's a pleasant scenario for you: You're standing in line in 7-11 buying some coffee during your shift. Joe Crackhead comes in looking to score money for a fix. He's armed with his weapon de jour, a crappy 5-shot revolver. He could care less who stands in between him and his next vial; it'll be their bad luck. He sees you wearing a uniform with a badge (substitute any "official looking uniform" here).

Bang.

Were you expecting it?

Exact same scenario played out a few years ago in (Florida?) with an unarmed, off-duty security guard. Crackboy went in for the money, saw a uniform and badge, and shot the rent-a-cop a few times in the chest. He told investigators he saw the uniform and thought "cop".

I don't start EMT work until next week. I have 2 under-the-uniform vests that I own. They're uncomfortable, hot and stink like hell after a few shifts. Will I be wearing one? You bet. Would I be willing to work any public-service/private service uniformed job and not wear one? No way. Hell, I wear one under my suit when I'm doing EP work.

I've seen far too many deaths due to someone being in the wrong place, at the wrong time. I want to go home after work, and I'll take any little advantage I can get.

Is a vest a cure-all for any threat? No.

Does it make the wearer braver, better, faster, stronger, invincible? No.

Could it potentially be the difference between going home with a beautiful bruise on your torso, or having your loved ones inherit a crisply-folded flag? Yes.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Stoked said:
Do you guys who say you would only wear one if a scene looked dangerous also only wear PPE if a patient looks sick?

As a cop I was shot at twice. Neither time was on a dangerous call, and neither time was I expecting any problems.

Around here some of our medics/EMTs wear white shirts with nice shiny badges. Here's a pleasant scenario for you: You're standing in line in 7-11 buying some coffee during your shift. Joe Crackhead comes in looking to score money for a fix. He's armed with his weapon de jour, a crappy 5-shot revolver. He could care less who stands in between him and his next vial; it'll be their bad luck. He sees you wearing a uniform with a badge (substitute any "official looking uniform" here).

Bang.

Were you expecting it?

Exact same scenario played out a few years ago in (Florida?) with an unarmed, off-duty security guard. Crackboy went in for the money, saw a uniform and badge, and shot the rent-a-cop a few times in the chest. He told investigators he saw the uniform and thought "cop".

I don't start EMT work until next week. I have 2 under-the-uniform vests that I own. They're uncomfortable, hot and stink like hell after a few shifts. Will I be wearing one? You bet. Would I be willing to work any public-service/private service uniformed job and not wear one? No way. Hell, I wear one under my suit when I'm doing EP work.

I've seen far too many deaths due to someone being in the wrong place, at the wrong time. I want to go home after work, and I'll take any little advantage I can get.

Is a vest a cure-all for any threat? No.

Does it make the wearer braver, better, faster, stronger, invincible? No.

Could it potentially be the difference between going home with a beautiful bruise on your torso, or having your loved ones inherit a crisply-folded flag? Yes.
Click to expand...

are you advocating that every uniformed employee of any agency which issues uniforms wear a bulletproof vest?
 
Arovetli said:
are you advocating that every uniformed employee of any agency which issues uniforms wear a bulletproof vest?
Click to expand...

I'm advocating people who have the choice to wear or not actually wear one, and shaking my head in disgust at the "I always watch out for myself so I don't need one!" types. To me it's the same argument some people use to explain away their dis-use of seatbelts "I'll just brace my arm against the dashboard! Besides, I'm a great driver! I'll never get in an accident!".
 
I agree with the statement that it can happen at anytime so be prepared. I always put on my vest at the start of every shift along with my 3M mask and life preserver.
 
My supe has been shot three different times in the last thirty years, he's the only one I know who wears one.
 
I always thought the purchase of body armor was restricted to police. Perhaps it varies by state.
 
nwhitney said:
I always thought the purchase of body armor was restricted to police. Perhaps it varies by state.
Click to expand...

Anyone who isn't a felon can buy bullet resistant vests.
 
Tigger said:
My supe has been shot three different times in the last thirty years, he's the only one I know who wears one.
Click to expand...

Which begs the question, has he been shot because he allows himself to get into dangerous situations because he feels a false sense of safety due to wearing the vest ...
 
cprted said:
Which begs the question, has he been shot because he allows himself to get into dangerous situations because he feels a false sense of safety due to wearing the vest ...
Click to expand...

Or do not a lot of people like him?
 
Tigger said:
My supe has been shot three different times in the last thirty years, he's the only one I know who wears one.
Click to expand...
I didn't know CS was that rough :blink: :lol:

cprted said:
Which begs the question, has he been shot because he allows himself to get into dangerous situations because he feels a false sense of safety due to wearing the vest ...
Click to expand...

This. I don't know a single medic that's been shot, and we've got some real :censored::censored::censored::censored::censored::censored::censored:s who work in some very bad areas. Either he has worse luck than anybody I've ever met, or he has some serious interpersonal issues :unsure:

Edit: I guess it could have been one instance of being shot three times...
 
Wheel said:
I don't know if I'm quite that dedicated to my job.
Click to expand...

I know I am not.

For the record it was three different occurrences, and the vest was only purchased after the third one.

Colorado Springs isn't a terrible town but it has more than it's fair share of nasty places. 30ish murders a year over the last several years. We don't really show up in the statistics because of how geographically sprawled the city is, much of the city limits holds cookie cutter neighborhood after cookie cutter neighborhood.
 
nwhitney said:
I always thought the purchase of body armor was restricted to police. Perhaps it varies by state.
Click to expand...

It does vary by state, and sometimes even within the state.
 
nwhitney said:
I always thought the purchase of body armor was restricted to police. Perhaps it varies by state.
Click to expand...
There are some variations between states as to who may/may not purchase armor, but Felons generally aren't allowed to purchase/possess body armor. There is usually some mechanism in place to allow the non-criminal person to purchase armor. That doesn't mean that an individual shop won't sell to people outside the LE/public safety biz...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
epipusher said:
I agree with the statement that it can happen at anytime so be prepared. I always put on my vest at the start of every shift along with my 3M mask and life preserver.
Click to expand...

Don't forget your knee pads, elbow pads and wrist guards!
 
After over a decade in PHEMS one of my bosses was shot and killed…while serving as a reserve sheriff's deputy. Wearing the vest, close to the perp, shot in the face. SO much for the vest.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top