Do you pack heat?

SanDiegoEmt7

Forum Captain
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I'm considering purchasing a pistol and/or a shotgun, for target practice and home defense. Given the nature of our job, what's your stance on owning firearms?
 

Harvey

Forum Lieutenant
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Well a Firearm for home defense is never a bad idea. or even with a concealed handgun license. just remember safety first. And if your wanting to help people while "packing Heat" you should look into becoming a Police Officer. There is another thread on this. I dunno why EMS would need Firepower. that would prolley only cause more problems.
 

EMS/LEO505

Forum Lieutenant
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I carry mine everywhere except a liquior establishment and public schools haha as for my house, I don't have an alarm system....I've got my 2 german shepards, my giant schnauzer, and a H&K USP Elite...and a little more;)
 

TransportJockey

Forum Chief
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I have a NM CCW and carry everywhere not prohibited by law.

EDIT: No not while working. While I'm on the bus, it stays in a lockbox in my vehicle. EMS doesn't need to be carrying on duty. Besides, if I ever discharge the pistol, the thermonuclear blast created by the 10mm Auto cartridge might tend to make my bosses unhappy if I vaporize an ambulance :p
 
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CAO

Forum Lieutenant
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Carry a Glock 22 when I'm not working.
 

JPINFV

Gadfly
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I am a complete supporter of shall issue conceal carry permits and against unarmed victim... err... "gun free zones." However, I also think there's a time and a place for conceal carry and working as an EMS provider is a time to not carry. I have, however, no problem with someone carrying on their comute to or from work, especially if employees have a secure location on site for storing personal affects (i.e. a locker).
 

Shishkabob

Forum Chief
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I have a Mosin Nagant. I carry it with me on shift with the bayonet attached. No one has made a scene about it yet. :ph34r:
 

fast65

Doogie Howser FP-C
2,664
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I do own quite a few firearms (11 to be exact), mostly for trap shooting and hunting, but I see absolutely no reason why EMS providers would need to carry firearms on duty. However, I do live in Oregon, so I don't have any idea what EMS is like in large urban areas :p
 

Bullets

Forum Knucklehead
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i keep my glock 22 in a holster shirt at all times. Ive been on shooting scenes where we begin to treat a victim and receive fire from opposing gang members trying to finish the pt off. i applied for my CC next day
 

johnrsemt

Forum Deputy Chief
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I have CCW and carry off duty and off base.

I used to work in an area with high crime rate; both in EMS and in Retail. never wanted to carry at either job. that is what police are for, and besides by the time I found out I was in a situation that a gun would have been good for, it was too late, and someone was already holding one on me.
 

Akulahawk

EMT-P/ED RN
Community Leader
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I have applied (and have been approved) for a California CCW License. I will carry wherever I legally may carry. While working, if I do carry, it is an offense that is punishable by termination... but it is NOT contrary to state law. I need my job, therefore I won't carry while actually on-duty at work.
 

JPINFV

Gadfly
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I have applied (and have been approved) for a California CCW License.

Glares. Knowing LA Co and SD Co, my chances are slim to none. Even so, if I did get a CCW, I'm mostly in one of 2 places. Home (where I don't need a CCW permit to carry, be it open or concealed) or school (where I would need permission from the school to carry anyways, which is unlikely).
 

lampnyter

Forum Captain
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Im not even old enough to get a license lol. I think its 21 here, 3 more years. And i didnt think you could carry while on duty.
 

46Young

Level 25 EMS Wizard
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It's no coincedence that govenrments or regions that either ban or severely restrict the ability to carry have higher crime rates. When most everyone carries, no one gets robbed. When you're made to give up your guns, you have rape, muggings, car jackings, and a husband bound and gagged in the living room of their house while the perps violate the wife and daughter.

We need to prepare for the soon to come rapid devaluation of the American dollar. I recommend investing in as much gold, ammo, and whiskey you can get your hands on. Also, keep a large stock of non perishables, as much as you can, and then rotate your stock as you use supplies. That case of powdered milk or beans may cost five times as much next year. Also, go out and buy a house real quick, w/ a fixed rate mortgage. Real estate is the best hedge against inflation. A generator for your home, and one of those hand crank cell phone chargers would be good to have items as well.

I'm only half kidding with the above.
 

TransportJockey

Forum Chief
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It's no coincedence that govenrments or regions that either ban or severely restrict the ability to carry have higher crime rates. When most everyone carries, no one gets robbed. When you're made to give up your guns, you have rape, muggings, car jackings, and a husband bound and gagged in the living room of their house while the perps violate the wife and daughter.

We need to prepare for the soon to come rapid devaluation of the American dollar. I recommend investing in as much gold, ammo, and whiskey you can get your hands on. Also, keep a large stock of non perishables, as much as you can, and then rotate your stock as you use supplies. That case of powdered milk or beans may cost five times as much next year. Also, go out and buy a house real quick, w/ a fixed rate mortgage. Real estate is the best hedge against inflation. A generator for your home, and one of those hand crank cell phone chargers would be good to have items as well.

I'm only half kidding with the above.

That post looks almost exactly like a lot of posts I've come to see on glocktalk the last few years.
 

LucidResq

Forum Deputy Chief
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i keep my glock 22 in a holster shirt at all times. Ive been on shooting scenes where we begin to treat a victim and receive fire from opposing gang members trying to finish the pt off. i applied for my CC next day

A) scene safety
B ) let the cops do what they're trained and paid to do and return the fire
C) if the above measures fail, bullet proof vest

Of course cops/scene safety/a vest won't always prevent you from getting wounded/killed... there's always going to be that 1 in a million call that comes in as a routine sick case but turns out to be a GSW and then the perpetrators swing by and "finish the job" and you as well... but I'm pretty sure you're actually putting yourself at more risk carrying on the job... not just for injury/death by having your weapon turned on you, but also in the repercussions of using your weapon.

There's a big difference between shooting someone who comes in to your home while you're off-duty sleeping, and shooting someone you encounter on the streets or even in their home while on-duty. Cops have mistakenly shot people for pulling out soda cans and squirt pistols on them, and faced the music for that. They didn't, however, have to start off by answering the burning question "why are you carrying a gun as an EMT/paramedic?"
 
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TransportJockey

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JPINFV

Gadfly
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taser FTW lol

Tasers are virtually useless outside of LEO. Single shot, limited effect. You shoot someone with a taser and you better hit on the first shot because that's all you've got, and you better hope he stays down after the first set of shocks end or else your entire attention is going to be fixed on pulling that trigger every 5 seconds or so.

On the other hand, if you pull a hand gun and shoot someone, you're going to cause damage that isn't just going to end in 5 seconds. Additionally, that hole you just placed can put someone down for a long time, if not permanent (and if you're drawing a fire arm, you are shooting to end the threat, which with a lethal weapon is a nice way of saying shoot to kill. There is no such thing as just shooting to wound). Bad guy goes down, maybe permanently, and I can shift my attention to the other bad guys.
 
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