Who has their CHL?

[TransportJockey]

Heh, as long as you aren't kwikrnu you're all good in my book ;p

 

[firetender]

A drive to articulate

If this is what you would like to see, then why type out half a page of comments about firearms, and the people who talk about them?

Just my two cents..

I had to take out what I was feeling, look at it and put it in to words so next time, when I get PO'd, I'll understand what's behind it. It's also, somewhat, my position on the subject so y'all understand where I'm coming from.

 

[FrostbiteMedic]

Cool family; let's not ask HOW they passed away and you got their guns! (just ribbing you, friend!)

I can neither confirm nor deny having anything at all to do with their deaths....h34r:

I reckon the way this whole gun thing gets handled here bugs, bores and scares me more than anything else on this Forum.

We promise not to use them on you.

Since they are not standard issue, it's really not about equipment. Since they all basically work the same, identifying the rod you pack has no real relevance to EMS whatsoever. May as well expound on what brand of Band-Aid you carry; that's about as interesting and relevant!

Do you have a preferred brand of stethoscope? Would you not prefer an Ultrascope over a Medline basic scope? It is the same for gun owners. We have our preferences, and, like scopes, there are major differences.

That's part of the Dirty Harry complex though, isn't it? Don't carry if you don't intend to use. And for some reason, a lot of the gun carriers here want you to see their rods and make it clear they would use them!

Although I will admit that I do enjoy the discussion of firearms, I think it is a far stretch to say that I have a Dirty Harry complex. Yes, I carry most of the time when I am not on the job. No, I would not hesitate to use my weapon for the preservation of my life or another's life. However, as I stated in the other thread that got a bit out of hand, I pray that my weapon never has to clear the holster it is carried in. You could stand right next to me and we could talk for hours and you still wouldn't know that I am armed. Why? Because that weapon is going to stay holstered and concealed. If you were to come to my house or accompany me to the range, then and only then would you get the opportunity to see my weapon. The same holds true for most of the people I know who carry.

A firearm for personal protection is not something to be bragged about. It's something that you have SO MUCH RESPECT for -- precisely BECAUSE it is lethal -- that it is something you NEVER want to have to use. The absence of that interpretation here is what worries me the most.

This not only applies to personal protection firearms. This applies to all firearms. I was brought up around guns, and the number one lesson I was taught was safety. I have a standing offer that I will take anyone who has not had the opportunity to shoot in their life to the range, provide a firearm and ammo for their use at the range, as well as eye and ear protection. But first, they have to sit down with me and learn about firearm safety. For those who have taken me up on my offer, they usually find that they need to set aside a whole day for a trip with me, because we will spend at least 3-4 hours going over firearm safety before they get the opportunity to shoot.

So how many of you have actually killed another human being with a firearm? I know there are some here who have and maybe they are the ones that should start the threads.

My prayers and condolences go to those who have been placed in the situation where taking another human life was necessary. Although I am a big proponent of the right to own and carry and as such am prepared to do what I have to, I hope I never face that situation.

All the above is non-official, but as a Community Leader I would ask that in the future, any talk of guns be limited to footnotes in larger issues of personal scene-safety threads, and that as ILLUSTRATION only.

Even on the general board? I can understand keeping it out of the EMS boards, but not the general discussion board where the topic doesn't have to be EMS related....

 

[ffemt8978]

To answer that, this thread can continue but rest assured it is on my short list of subscribed threads and I will be reading every post in it.

 

[FrostbiteMedic]

To answer that, this thread can continue but rest assured it is on my short list of subscribed threads and I will be reading every post in it.

That's fine. I will try and keep it nice so that you don't have to do the Wyatt Earp imitation on us......

 

[firetender]

We promise not to use them on you.
Even on the general board? I can understand keeping it out of the EMS boards, but not the general discussion board where the topic doesn't have to be EMS related....

Maybe all I really want is some balance, which you provided, so thanks!

Of course stuff like this will pop up in the most unexpected places, but the deal is we can note and discuss without fixating, taking sides and then competing. No matter the thread, there are numerous directions the explorations can go; including what happened in the above.

The idea is to not get stalled in one mud puddle and to keep things moving with respect.

 

[Jon]

Seems like the red letters are taking over this thread... so I guess I'll chime in.

In Pennsylvania, it's called a LCTF, License To Carry Firearms. It's a nice card to have.

I have a few. I carry, sometimes. When I carry, it is USUALLY well concealed (at least until my girlfriend finds it:glare... and I try not to make a big deal of it. So I'll keep it that way.

That being said - if anyone feels like it, I'm all for an unofficial EMTLife.com Range Trip!




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh, and I'll steal FFEMT8978's thunder. Why? Because I feel like it. (He'll pay me back somehow, I'm sure :unsure. We are ALL paying attention, and as FFEMT said, if this thread goes bad, someone will likely get some form of vacation for it.

 

[FrostbiteMedic]

Oh, and I'll steal FFEMT8978's thunder. Why? Because I feel like it. (He'll pay me back somehow, I'm sure :unsure. We are ALL paying attention, and as FFEMT said, if this thread goes bad, someone will likely get some form of vacation for it.

If this thread goes bad, will ya'll send me to Hawaii? I could use the tan....

 

[ghettocowboy]

Ooo me too!.....wait can you carry in hawaii?

 

[ffemt8978]

Ooo me too!.....wait can you carry in hawaii?

No. To have a firearm there, it must be registered with the PD, and you have to have a special card from them to purchase ammo (which they keep track of).

 

[ghettocowboy]

Yeah I have google....lighten up man

 

[Hockey]

No. To have a firearm there, it must be registered with the PD, and you have to have a special card from them to purchase ammo (which they keep track of).

Yuck

 

[wyoskibum]

Wyoming now allows carry concealed without a permit.

 

[TransportJockey]

Wyoming now allows carry concealed without a permit.

Nice. That makes 4 states with constitutional carry (AK, VT, AZ, and now WY)

 

[rwik123]

Is there also a p/month limit on the amount of firearms you can obtain? Don't know if that's national or a state law. I would be kinda neutral on that. I could see how people would want to limit the stockpiling of firearms but i would want the ability to buy one whenever I felt inclined to.

 

[HotelCo]

Is there also a p/month limit on the amount of firearms you can obtain? Don't know if that's national or a state law. I would be kinda neutral on that. I could see how people would want to limit the stockpiling of firearms but i would want the ability to buy one whenever I felt inclined to.

Not in Michigan, as far as I know.

 

[firetender]

Vacations

Ooo me too!.....wait can you carry in hawaii?

One of the great things about Hawaii, and I'm sure many medics working here will agree, is they are so TIGHT on gun laws there's few gun related killings a year in the whole state. You get caught with a gun on you illegally and it's right to the Slammer!

You and Frostbite can both vacation here, but you won't escape this CL!

An interesting side note; Frostbite's state, Tennessee (I went to UT, Knoxville!) is ranked #7 in gun kill rate

The survey released last week by the Virginia-based Violence Policy Center ranks Tennessee in seventh place nationally for gun-related deaths, at a rate of 15.03 per 100,000 people. That's above a national average of about 10 gun deaths per 100,000, according to the survey...Hawaii came in last, with a death rate of 2.82 per 100,000 and a household gun ownership rate of 9.7 percent. Full article is HERE.

...and now, TN is working on allowing you to carry in restaurants serving alcohol!

If it's what the people want, well...

 

[HotelCo]

and Texas is poised to sign into law, a bill that will allow carrying on college campuses!

 

[TransportJockey]

One of the great things about Hawaii, and I'm sure many medics working here will agree, is they are so TIGHT on gun laws there's few gun related killings a year in the whole state. You get caught with a gun on you illegally and it's right to the Slammer!

You and Frostbite can both vacation here, but you won't escape this CL!

An interesting side note; Frostbite's state, Tennessee (I went to UT, Knoxville!) is ranked #7 in gun kill rate



...and now, TN is working on allowing you to carry in restaurants serving alcohol!

If it's what the people want, well...

New Mexico has had a law like that for several years with no problems that have creeped up.

 

[firetender]

And the numbers show it!

New Mexico has had a law like that for several years with no problems that have creeped up.

NM is ranked #8, at 15.03, right behind Tennessee's 15.02 gun kill rate per 100,000.

(By the way, my observation has been very simple; the easier it is for people to get guns, the more they kill other people with them. When you allow citizens to get more guns more easily you compound the problem because that arms more criminals more easily as well. It then becomes an "Arms War" which is mostly great for the weapons manufacturers; the people just die. REF: http://www.vpc.org/press/1006gundeath.htm

And that is just on the small scale. Look at war. Follow the money. Who gets it? ...and who dies?)

FOR CLARITY'S SAKE: I'm a realist. If you are a medic or citizen, living and/or working in an area known for high crime and gunplay -- especially in areas where Medics are targets and appropriate backup is not available -- it is not your fault and carrying a concealed weapon is a personal choice I would not deny you. I believe you DO have the right to defend yourself and your patient for that matter. I just pray you'll never have to.