Should EMS be armed

[mycrofft]

Where was the poll selection...

...for "Oh, hayel NO!".

 

[curt]

Yes, I think I'd feel quite comfortable with my pard and I carrying tasers, not more, not less. Still, it's no excuse to forgo standard precautions and LEO backup.

 

[ffemt8978]

Yep, LEO back up...which can be 30-45 minutes away around here plus they have no obligation to protect us. :glare:

http://www.emtlife.com/showpost.php?p=134839&postcount=123

 

[AJ Hidell]

...guns and psychs, or drunks, or drug abusers just do not mix.

So that's why the cops dump all the psychs, drunks, and drug abusers on us, eh?

Now it all makes perfect sense.

 

[Sasha]

...for "Oh, hayel NO!".

I like your answer best.

 

[EMT-G36C]

So that's why the cops dump all the psychs, drunks, and drug abusers on us, eh?

Now it all makes perfect sense.

If they're leaving them with you, request they accompany you?

Never had a bad experience with LEOs, so I dunno what to tell ya.

But I work for a private. Maybe 911 is different.

 

[curt]

Yep, LEO back up...which can be 30-45 minutes away around here plus they have no obligation to protect us. :glare:

http://www.emtlife.com/showpost.php?p=134839&postcount=123

Yeah, and we could also get struck by lightning. My taser could misfire and hit me in the face, the police might not come to a request for backup, and your gun might secretly be james bond's backwards-shooting gun, and Jesus might come back in the middle of the throwdown. Stop throwing what ifs, we're working on commonalities here. If we stopped and looked at every little what if, besides missing the big picture, we'd never reach a conclusion. In most urban locations, I wouldn't think that, unless there are extreme circumstances at hand, the police would be more than 12 minutes away at the most.

As far as one taser shot not being enough, that's why my pard's got a taser too.

 

[EMT-G36C]

Yeah, and we could also get struck by lightning. My taser could misfire and hit me in the face, the police might not come to a request for backup, and your gun might secretly be james bond's backwards-shooting gun, and Jesus might come back in the middle of the throwdown. Stop throwing what ifs, we're working on commonalities here. If we stopped and looked at every little what if, besides missing the big picture, we'd never reach a conclusion. In most urban locations, I wouldn't think that, unless there are extreme circumstances at hand, the police would be more than 12 minutes away at the most.

As far as one taser shot not being enough, that's why my pard's got a taser too.

Good post, backed hard.

 

[AJ Hidell]

As far as one taser shot not being enough, that's why my pard's got a taser too.

So is his Taser that much better than yours, or is he just a better shot?

If yours didn't do the job, what makes you think yours will?

You guys obviously have no realistic concept of what the Taser is, what it does, or what it's limitations are. It's great for offensive use against an unarmed man. But EMS has no business going offensive against an unarmed man in the first place. What we are talking about here is self-DEFENSE. And I would hope that none of you are stupid enough to actually reach for a taser during an armed confrontation.

 

[ffemt8978]

Yeah, and we could also get struck by lightning. My taser could misfire and hit me in the face, the police might not come to a request for backup, and your gun might secretly be james bond's backwards-shooting gun, and Jesus might come back in the middle of the throwdown. Stop throwing what ifs, we're working on commonalities here. If we stopped and looked at every little what if, besides missing the big picture, we'd never reach a conclusion. In most urban locations, I wouldn't think that, unless there are extreme circumstances at hand, the police would be more than 12 minutes away at the most.

As far as one taser shot not being enough, that's why my pard's got a taser too.

Who was discussing what if's?

I was mentioning the FACT that where I live, the AVERAGE LE response time is 20 minutes with 30-45 minutes happening about 25% of the time.

I was also discussing the FACT that LE is under no legal obligation to protect an individual, and cited a relevant court case.

And while urban environments account for a large percentage of the population, the majority of the area in the country is considered rural. It is not fair, accurate, or realistic to apply urban standards to a rural setting, and vice versa.

 

[trevor1189]

Just got back from a ride along shift today and found out that we DO have bullet resistant vests... I'll sleep better now.h34r:

 

[curt]

So is his Taser that much better than yours, or is he just a better shot?

If yours didn't do the job, what makes you think yours will?

You guys obviously have no realistic concept of what the Taser is, what it does, or what it's limitations are. It's great for offensive use against an unarmed man. But EMS has no business going offensive against an unarmed man in the first place. What we are talking about here is self-DEFENSE. And I would hope that none of you are stupid enough to actually reach for a taser during an armed confrontation.

No, we're assuming I've missed somehow, misfired, or the guy stayed up long enough to swat out the barbs. There's no guarantee that my pard's will work either, but two shots are better than one, I suppose.

Tasers, as I see them, are strictly defensive weapons. We wouldn't want to start an offensive anyway. As far as nonlethal (exceptions recognized) weaponry goes, the taser's probably the best we could ask for right now- it's going to be able to stop someone who's so junked out on a whole pharmacy unlike pepper spray (not to mention the advantage of not making the truck reek of the capsaicin), but we can shoot and know it's not going to go through the wall and kill little Suzy Bystander in the head, as well as standing a pretty good chance of not reducing the guy to a bloody pile on the floor.

Now, if tasers cause digital contraction, then it's most certainly a bad idea to tase someone who's got a gun. If they don't, then I don't see why incapacitating them is so much worse of an idea than killing them outright. Of course, I'm thinking of the deep urban environment in which a taser's limited reach isn't necessarily a crippling factor in a throwdown.

My first goal if I see a gun getting produced is seeking out shelter or escape. If neither are available or good choices at the time, my secondary goal should be removing myself from the threat or vice versa. No matter what, the goal should be survive, and by any means necessary, even if it means making like a tree and leaving.

 

[AJ Hidell]

But if we give medics Tasers, aren't a lot of them going to be emboldened to stand their ground and fight it out rather than just departing the danger zone? Aren't we going to have a lot of medics running into dangerous scenes that they would not have entered if they didn't have the Taser? What if the Taser puts someone's eye out? What if it kills someone? What if it is taken from them and used against them?

 

[fortsmithman]

But if we give medics Tasers, aren't a lot of them going to be emboldened to stand their ground and fight it out rather than just departing the danger zone? Aren't we going to have a lot of medics running into dangerous scenes that they would not have entered if they didn't have the Taser? What if the Taser puts someone's eye out? What if it kills someone? What if it is taken from them and used against them?

I'd rather be tasered than shot.

 

[EMT-G36C]

I'd rather be tasered than shot.

I was going to say something similar.

 

[AJ Hidell]

And I'd rather have the ability to shoot someone before they shoot me.

You see, there's not really a big difference in what we "want". It's just that I am willing to take responsibility for my own safety and you are not.

 

[catskills]

I voted NO.

This is what police officers are for. Police support in my area is awesome.

The image of EMS should be we help people. Once word gets out we shoot people, folks get the wrong idea what we are all about and they will not trust us. :unsure:

 

[scottyb]

I voted NO.

This is what police officers are for. Police support in my area is awesome.

The image of EMS should be we help people. Once word gets out we shoot people, folks get the wrong idea what we are all about and they will not trust us. :unsure:

I am not sure I totally agree with that. I am not talking about your opinion, but your reasoning. People still trust police officers, at least, that is the majority opinion as I know it. I think in areas where it is warranted due to response times and or police support, the population would probably at least understand it if not fully support it, as long as they are given the facts.

 

[silver]

No, I have a hard enough time convincing people that I am not a police officer, nor do i care if what they did or will do is legal.

 

[Sasha]

And I'd rather have the ability to shoot someone before they shoot me.

So you're going into all calls with a gun drawn, then? I could imagine any other way you'd be able to pull the trigger first.