Texas legislator wants medics to carry guns
The bill would allow EMS in counties with fewer than 50,000 people to carry guns
CBS 11
COOKE COUNTY, Texas — Cooke County EMS near Denton covers about 900 square miles and most of it is rura. l“There are potential out there for things to occur,” says Kevin Grant Cooke County Emergency Medical Services Director. He’s talking about paramedics being put in dangerous situations when they respond to a scene where they may not know the person’s mental state.
Grant says his crews often respond to calls alone and are potentially vulnerable. State Representative Ken King from the Panhandle says the solution could be arming paramedics. If passed, King’s bill would allow EMS in counties with fewer than 50,000 people, like Cooke, to carry guns.
For me, I think that would be where I would look at this bill and go this makes sense when we are in the middle of nowhere,” says Grant, “and something occurs on scene.” Grant says if paramedics know they are going to a violent home then they usually wait for the sheriff’s department to secure the scene and then arrive.
Full story: Paramedics Packing Heat? One Texas Lawmaker Says Yes
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Matthew Replogle Saturday, March 02, 2013 11:50:44 AM Not a bad idea. Matthew Replogle Saturday, March 02, 2013 11:57:26 AM What do you think Rodney Estep and Donnie Edelblute?
Wil Morales Saturday, March 02, 2013 6:27:03 PM It's a great idea, they should the dame here in Puerto Rico, os there much crime... :( 
Mark Creaven Saturday, March 02, 2013 6:29:10 PM oh yeah. lock and load good buddy. are you talkin to me? how much bullshit to we have to withstand? I'm here to help you and I can treat a sucking chest would. 
Diana-Jerry Senturia Sunday, March 03, 2013 8:09:15 AM We have enough problems convincing folks we are NOT cops.
Jeff Jones Saturday, March 02, 2013 6:32:47 PM think this has a lot of pro's and con's. the pro's is saftey, with all the shootings, and attacks on first responders, ems, fire and police, we need to have protection. how many times have we arrived and the call not be what was dispatched? how many of yall have had a gun or other weapon pulled on you? how about being assaulted? the con's, a lot, and I mean A LOT of liability. there will have to be training, and more training to do this safely, both for us and the people we have to deal with. I think something along like making responders deputies, with all the training that goes with it. 
Corey J Sagstuen Saturday, March 02, 2013 6:45:58 PM Bad idea and here is why...
some folks down south are to quick on the "gun" the minuet that gun is employed and god forbid fired...you have lost...lost that autonomy, we lose that trust. We are NOT medics on the front lines, combat if you will...I was one of those Medics...and I don't see IED's or Taliban running all over the country.
Is there a level of threat to EMS or Emergency services as a whole, certainly. the argument is made that in your service area's go into areas that are questionable, I ask then why are you in there in the first place? you should be staging. Now many argue that staging is for the "weak"..well certainly I balk at the notion at times..but really there is a reason for it. We do not have a security team, a section/squad of Infantry to provide that inner cordon...so again why are we there..it's their emergency, not mine..as the old adage goes.
Now there are extensions that need to carry sidearms, that would be the TEMS teams, or those EMS teams deployed to a known threat area. they would have sidearms for close protection of their team only, should that security cordon fail, or threat of life has occurred and you are forced to act.
Here is the next point, how many of you EMS type ready to draw that gun and in the most extreme case KILL, because yes if you have drawn that sidearm in that circumstance you are at that point of deadly force. How many of you will freeze...i would surmise a good percentage, and then what...you have lost that momentum, that advantage... that threat has the potential to disarmed that member and the team( that's you the EMS provider) neutralized...and that would be a tragic loss for all.
There needs to be more investigation, more planning and certainly a detailed risk assessment...and should arming EMS crews come to be, you best do a boat load of training and be prepared to go that next step. 
Fred Jackson Saturday, March 02, 2013 8:00:54 PM We already have a law allowing medics to pack in KY. But most services won't stop you from packing, they'll just try to find another way to fire you 
Robyn Jackson Saturday, March 02, 2013 10:08:43 PM I think that if EMS personnel were put through a rigorous gun safety training, as they do with law enforcement, more directors would be apt to allow the carrying of firearms on duty.
Unfortunately with Kentucky being an at will employment state, this law doesn't really mesh with that law.
Charles Phillips Wednesday, March 06, 2013 4:57:15 AM Robyn Jackson- If you're going to carry a gun, you better be trained in Close Quarters Combat (something that SEALS and other Special Forces go through) since we work in close quarters. If you carry, you better also have several millions of $ in liability insurance (can you afford that??). As for me, I'm not going into a "hot" scene and I'm leaving the disarming and shooting if necessary to the cops. I'll pick up the pieces once the guns are gone.
Kellen Teig Saturday, March 02, 2013 8:40:53 PM That's a nightmare waiting to happen! 
Devin Teig Sunday, March 03, 2013 9:50:47 AM LOL you can shoot somebody then immediately save their life.
Dennis Worden Saturday, March 02, 2013 10:30:05 PM No way, no how! I work with basics that I don't trust with a nasal airway, let alone a gun. 
Patrick Walker Wednesday, March 06, 2013 6:47:48 PM I've worked with Medics that stick more Basics than the pt. This is about carrying. Not your level. Stupid comes in all levels of medicine.
Eddie Green Saturday, March 02, 2013 10:31:16 PM Maybe not guns, how about tasers? 
John Burton Monday, March 25, 2013 7:26:51 AM I'll gladly carry either. Wouldn't mind being able to taze an unruly oakcliffian
Joe Anstey Saturday, March 02, 2013 11:39:12 PM Yet another example of irresponsible legislation from an uneducated electoral body. All the problems facing our state, this solution creates more problems than it solves. I have worked in the rural area as well as metro areas. At non point in 21 years have I had the need to engage a patient or bystander with deadly force/ or the threat of deadly force. While Rep. King may have the greatest of intentions, the liability he asks EMA services and providers to incur is astronomical. Why doesn't Rep. King try and increase rural reimbursement from Medicaid or investigate why jndigent care tax dollars cannot/ will not be used to offset indigent care cost in EMS, so that EMT's and Paramedics can get paid by services that actually make money. 
Joan Schwartz Sunday, March 03, 2013 9:33:00 AM What incidents have occurred where a gun was needed? 
Mathew Threadgill Sunday, March 03, 2013 1:19:52 PM I don't understand the population density issue but it is a step in the right direction. Personally I think we all should have the option to carry. 
Mandeep Hundal Sunday, March 03, 2013 9:12:31 PM Anyone from cooke county that works with kevin grant can you shoot me a message in my facebook inbox I use to work with him.
Philip Lee Tuesday, March 05, 2013 12:25:17 PM Before you jump to Fire arms why not try a trial of pepper spray and tasers. For most unknown situations that can buy you enough time to get away and wait for the profesionals (Police) to show up. There are hundreds of hours into gun handling and training that police do in order to use the weapons effectively and safely. Try packing that training in with the important medical training you should know and do as a paramedic and you could get overwhelmed. 
Cliff Torrence Tuesday, March 05, 2013 12:50:20 PM The best I understand is that they don't allow it in KY but I think that it should be allowed. There are times when we have to sit on standby for an hour waiting on Law Enforcement. An ambulance shouldn't be tied up that long just waiting. Also, I think a lot of bullcrap would cut down if they saw a gun attached. Of course, I also think there should be specialized training before allowed to carry. Charles Phillips Tuesday, March 05, 2013 4:44:47 PM Before you all start to "lock and load", think about this, which liability insurance companies (something all services must have in order to operate) will insure EMT's and Paramedics to carry weapons on the job? Insurance is already very expensive. If you throw in 20 or 30 EMS folks carrying guns, you're probably looking at your rates tripling or more. Most EMT's and Paramedics are not trained in Close Quarters Combat and we work in very close quarters. Can you imagine the law suits against you and your service if you shot an innocent bystander? You may end up having your pay check garnished for the rest of your life to pay to the unfortunate victim's family. There's a real lack of thought when you're talking about arming EMS personnel. Let's leave disarming perpetrators to the police. 
Justin Rogers Tuesday, March 05, 2013 7:59:15 PM Great idea!! Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama should too!! 
Doug Harwood Thursday, March 07, 2013 1:35:56 PM I think I will join my local Honour gard, iron my dress uniform, and prepare for the increase in an already too high body count in EMS if legislation like this is passed. Is the scene safe? Can we make the scene safe with out endangering ourselves? If the answer is yes, go in, otherwise stay out and let those that are properly trained deal with that aspect. I think there are better places to place our energy, time, and money to make this already dangerous profession safer. It is not a gun, but a brain that will keep us safe. 
Matt Hansen Thursday, March 07, 2013 8:17:30 PM I agree with this bill. I know my job is to treat the sick and injured, but too many times I have not been able to do so due to being thrust in to violent and hostile situations. This wasn’t too bad when I lived and worked in the metroplex and there was a cop on every corner, but now that I am in a very rural Texas county, it can take 30 - 40 minutes for help to arrive and the fact is: most of Texas is rural! In more than 20 years of EMS, I have had a gun and knife pulled on me, I have been shot at, I have been physically assaulted.
The main problem I have is that the State of Texas thinks that we are competent and legal to protect ourselves at all times. Our employers should not be able placed us in hostile work environments and make us defenseless in the course of our duties when we have been licensed by the State of Texas. If employers are allowed to continue to places us in these dangerous and hostile situations, they should be held criminally and civilly liable for taking away our right to defend ourselves when we feel threatened, are injured or killed! 
Jake Stein Saturday, March 09, 2013 6:55:11 PM EMS lacks the oversight to see competency is maintained for basic EMT and Paramedic skills. Who is going to take responsibility to see their firearms competency is maintained. Hell most EMTs and Paramedics think they need too much training now and all that continuing ed is just crap. Just what EMS needs is another "skill" to do half assed and have more deadly outcomes. 
