I was a medic for 15 years. Ain't no one EVER going to cuff a patient to a cot. We can't even transport a cuffed patient. Hard restrains are illegal for us to use. And no cop is ever going to ride in the back of an ambulance. They will follow in a squad car, but they won't ride with. And maybe the police secured the scene, maybe they didn't. Maybe they had time to search the patient, maybe they didn't. It's not always picture perfect. And yes, medical mistakes kill more people. But, the job is to prevent killing more people due to missed or lacking protocols. So we do what we can to prevent even one.

And no, this isn't a silly discussion. We do indeed need to have protocols in place involving weapons because it is a real thing and we discuss scenarios where this happens. And while I never had to remove a firearm myself, I have relieved more than one patient of knives, brass knuckles, tears gas, and one leather sap while doing my assessment. And it happened enough we equipped every ambulance with a lock box to secure them. When I retired, they were considering get kevlar vests for the us. Not so much because of guns, but knives. While not a perfect solution it did offer some small protection. At least a bit more than just a jump bag does. We could even take special self defense seminars on how to protect yourself in the confines of the ambulance, and do so without leaving a mark on a patient - it's considered VERY bad form to beat up your patient. And it was an odd month were you didn't get assaulted at least once. I think I averaged about 3 a month or so. Things often be whack after midnight yo.

[–] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Fine, "strapped" not "cuffed," and cops have their own cars, they'd ride those probably in close proximity to your ambulance, thus arriving at a similar enough time to constitute use of the word "accompanied," which was originally used in the context of "after you drop them off at the hospital where the surgeon from OP's question works." So, are they strapped to the gurney, followed by police in the ambulance, then the police accompany them into the building and hospital room? If yes: "Close enough, sorry I used the wrong word for the restraints."

They aren't just gonna hand you a fresh murder suspect and say "can you drop him at our place on Tuesday," he's restrained somehow and accompanied by someone, unless your area's emergency services works differently than my area, and every area I'm aware of, from the ground up.

So anyway, you're a medical professional of sorts, you ever fire a gun? Do you have any idea how easy it is to learn how to handle them properly?

(Btw they've rolled out the vests, my buddy is a paramedic and he has em. Only good up to .357 and not stab proof afaik, but it's something!)

[–] bluewing@lemm.ee 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

You very, very, seldom ever restrain a patient's arms because you need to have access to them for vitals and possible IV access - which is why they can't be handcuffed. The straps go under the arms and across the chest, and legs. And a cop in a squad car trailing behind the ambulance is of small comfort when you are getting assaulted. It takes a good minute plus for everyone to stop and the cop to get into the ambulance. Been there, done that, got some bruises, scratches and cuts on a few occasions. But no tee shirt. Just imagine how many times you could get stabbed in that minute. Nor do all patients come in via ambulances. More than one trauma patient just shows up unannounced in the ER Bay garage.

I own firearms. And I can and have made repair parts for modern and antique weapons from scratch - springs, screws, firing pins, and other such small parts that many people find unobtainable. I most likely understand them better than you do. I apparently understand them well enough to know what you do not - that it's very easy to think you know something about them without understanding how much you do not know.

I used to shoot in trap leagues when I was younger, firing around 10,000 to 15,000 rounds a year. But I was never talented enough to hit the national shooting stage. I also used to do black powder shooting matches. I did travel to Friendship to compete once long ago. So I might have fired a gun or two over my life. I still hunt to this day, enjoying upland hunting with my dogs and fine fall days in the field with them.

[–] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 7 months ago

Sure so they're strapped, but that doesn't count as restrained even though they are restrained. What happens after the ambulance, where the surgeon is? Does the cop accompany them into the hospital, where they continue to be ~~restrained~~ strapped and accompanied by police, either in or just outside the OR? There many surgeries taking place in the back of your ambulance?

I have similar experience with firearms, though my expertise is new not antique. One thing I do know is how absolutely easy it is to clear one. Frankly it sounds like to do that you'd have to wrestle it away from them with your black eyes and stabbings, so in your case it may be a bad idea. However, in the context of the original post where the gun is found and presumed to be picked up by a surgeon, where it doesn't have to be fought for, it is quite simple to clear them by dropping the mag and racking the slide while pointing it in a safe direction. Safer than throwing a chambered gun in a lock box, tbh, unless your box is bulletproof I guess. You find a lot of benellis or enfeild 1853s stuffed down gang members pants or are they mostly hi-point c9s and taurus g2cs? Do you have experience with modern semi auto firearms at all, or are you one of those elite gun club british types who has never touched a semi auto or a detachable box magazine? You should know how easy it is if you have as much experience as you say, but you don't seem to. Like sure if you've never even seen a gun before it may be a bad idea, but that was why I said "learn." See, "learning" a thing beforehand means that you'll be familiar with it when you have to do it, sort of like how they "learned" to do the "surgery," it's just not as hard to learn how to press a button and pull a slide back (or cylinder out, button either way.) Ain't no damn tube feds, belt feds, etc, in a hospital, not even a charging handle in sight (pun intended), it's easy whether you want to accept that or not. Hell it's usually why you brits think they should be banned "they're too easy," yeah well are they so easy a kid can use em to shoot up a school or so difficult a surgeon can't wrap their head around the maddening complexities? Which one? Are our kids just that bright and using all their talents on the wrong thing?