Should EMS Be Armed?

I am a strong proponent of the individual rights the Second Amendment spells out for us. Notice I said spells out, the Second Amendment merely defines or explains the rights we already possess. Government does not have the power or the authority to take these away. This is not a new or original position, and I am not the first to express it. It is however what I believe. I am permitted to carry a concealed weapon in my home state and do so religiously where legal and appropriate ( almost everywhere). I do not take this responsibility lightly. And make no mistake and armed citizen takes on an awesome responsibility. They incur the responsibility to remain proficient with their designated firearm and to stay vigilant and aware so as to avoid confrontation. They must be acutely aware of the force continuum and when to use it appropriately .

I also am very passionate about emergency medicine. EMS providers also need to be acutely aware of protocol and when to proceed into a scene. Scene safety is something that is drilled into every EMS student. However in the ever changing world we live in a scene that may be deemed safe initially could evolve into something quite different during the course of a call. Also you have rural EMS services where law enforcement may be a good distance away during the initial scene size up.

 EMS providers must be afforded the same rights and opportunities that are afforded to private citizens.Arming EMS in situations where it may be appropriate is a discussion that must be pursued.

Here are some resources to continue the discussion

An excellent podcast on EMS STANDING ORDERS

http://emsstandingorders.com/2011/12/13/episode-8-surviving-the-next-shift/

Posts by nationally recognized EMS educator  and Second Amendment advocate Kelly Grayson

http://ambulancedriverfiles.com/2011/09/06/gun-rights-were-winning/

http://ambulancedriverfiles.com/2007/01/26/the-armed-emt/

Discuss amongst yourselves