Off-duty EMS: ‘Can you help without getting yourself into trouble?’

Gordon Graham breaks down good Samaritan laws and the decision to get involved when off-duty

January 18, 2021 10:45 AM •

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In Today’s Tip, Lexipol co-founder and risk management expert Gordon Graham discusses situations in which off-duty firefighters may find themselves torn over whether or not offer aid due to a lack of training in advanced scenarios. According to Gordon, many states have good Samaritan laws, which protect bystanders who offer aid to someone experiencing a medical emergency.

In Today’s Tip, Lexipol co-founder and risk management expert Gordon Graham discusses situations in which off-duty EMS providers may find themselves torn over whether or not offer aid due to a lack of training in advanced scenarios. According to Gordon, many states have good Samaritan laws, which protect bystanders who offer aid to someone experiencing a medical emergency.

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Gordon Graham

Gordon Graham has been actively involved in law enforcement since 1973. He spent nearly 10 years as a very active motorcycle officer while also attending Cal State Long Beach to achieve his teaching credential, USC to do his graduate work in Safety and Systems Management with an emphasis on Risk Management, and Western State University to obtain his law degree. In 1982 he was promoted to sergeant and also admitted to the California State Bar and immediately opened his law offices in Los Angeles.