Should medics be packing heat?

GERMAN TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WDTN) - Paramedics are trained to rush to the scene of an emergency and save lives, but more and more often they are finding themselves to be the target of an attackers.

"It's out there, it's not as unusual as what people think,” said German Township Fire Chief Tim Holman.

Like most first responders he has had his close calls. Two times during Holman’s 37 year-career he has had a gun pulled on him.
    
"We had no indication that those type of runs would have sparked any problem,” added Holman. “I think that's where we are vulnerable".

Holman recently hosted a seminar at the EMS World Expo in Las Vegas called, "Is it time to arm our EMT's?". He said the answer is simple. Yes.

"When we go into a fire we're fairly well protected. We have equipment on that's going to protect our breathing. We have turnout gear that's going to protect us to a certain temperature. We do have protection there,” he said.  "I make sure they are safe when they go to a fire, but i can't guarantee that safety when they go to an EMS run".  

According to the Department of Labor the number one injury to EMT's is assault. In fact, 52% of all EMT's in the field today have been assaulted on the job at some point in time.

Holman, a carry concealed owner, thinks arming his paramedics could prevent a lot of attacks in the future.

"We know that guns do stop a lot of threats,” he said. “Every state that has concealed carry, has seen a decrease in crime rates".

Former police officer and EMT Kip Teitsort sees this issue differently.

He quit his job as a first responder so he could travel the country and teach defensive tactics that don't involve weapons.

"Let the guys with the hundreds and hundreds of hours of training, the tools, and the pepper spray handle that guy. Then medical care can be applied,” said Teitsort from his home base in Springfield, Missouri.

Teitsort said there is no way fire departments can give EMT’s the extensive training they need to safely carry weapons. He fears without that education guns would do more harm than good.

"I think if we arm them, what are going to find is they are either going to enter into a scene they either shouldn't be on, or stay too long," added Teitsort
    
Instead, Teitsort says he thinks the focus should be on teaching first responders how to identify dangerous situations and people.

"Because they were called to care for somebody they think is a patient and they are being attacked by the person they are trying to restrain, that they shouldn't be restraining," he said.

Teitsort suggests two different solutions. “Hire an off duty cop to ride shotgun, so he rides on all the calls, or hire one person to be nothing but the safety and security guy. That's it”.

They are costly options that not every one agrees with, including, Philip Mulivor, the spokesman for Ohioans for Concealed Carry.

Mulivor said there are lots of responsible gun owners who should not have to rely on anyone else for protection.

"I don't see how we can deprive a first responder of the same right to protect themselves that any law abiding citizen in Ohio has,” said Mulivor. “Look, the world is not getting any safer, it's a sad and difficult fact to face, but it's true".

That's why folks on both sides of the issue agree changes need to be made before more lives are lost. While having the conversation is a good start, a permanent solution can't come soon enough.

"I think we need to be prepared. I don't want to be in a situation where we say, "Gee, we should have taken that more seriously," and done something about that a long time ago and maybe we could have saved some EMTs. I don't want that," said Holman.