In an accident

[Ritestuff]

I haven't been on in awhile, but was thinking of a situation I wasn't sure how I'd handle or how it would be handled by others. So, here it goes:

What happens to a handgun when the owner is in a car accident? If I was in a bad accident and unconscious, what is the protocol for the first responders when the person is a CCW holder? I could just imagine if they go to lift me into an ambulance and find a gun on my hip. Hopefully, I get an understanding fella who doesn't panic and thinks to call my hubby. But what if you're awake? How would you handle that? They are going to strap you to a board and may/maynot see it then, but eventually someone will want to take your clothes off to put a gown on. (not naughty, but medically you won't be able to)

Anyway, just a hypothetical. I'd love to hear from any first responders out there.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[boricua]

I would have to assume that LEO will secure your gun(s) while you are being taken care of. Of course, at some point they will check your ID and any legalities of you being in possession of a firearm.

[msgt/ret]

I have asked this same question to a few Deputies and Troopers around here and have gotten differing answers from all of them. I just hope they will turn my weapon over to hospital security and I can retrieve it from them when I am discharged.

[MedicMan218]

My agency doesn't really have a policy in place and I had never given it much thought until I started getting into guns and asked about it.
In the event you are unresponsive and we find a pistol on you during our assessment of you in the back of the truck and A) we haven't began transport yet we will alert an officer to come secure the weapon while leaving it in the holster or B) if we had already began transport I'm comfortable enough with most guns that I would remove and clear the weapon before dropping you off at the ER and would also notify local LE to come take custody of the weapon until it can be released to either a family member or back to you once discharged from the hospital.

In the event you aren't unresponsive, you need to make any first responder aware that you are carrying so that they don't accidentally find it and possibly cause and ND when they have to put hands on you.
The good thing is that most cops, firemen and medics are all into firearms in one way or another be it hunting or just getting in some range time so I wouldn't expect you telling them that you have a weapon on you to freak them out or anything.
Lets just hope you're never in need of our sercives. lol

[accessbob]

Lets just hope you're never in need of our sercives.

That is a good statement. I hope to not need your (generally speaking as a profession) services but am darned sure glad you're there if I do.

[JustinApple]

Here is Texas in a traffic stop you are of corse to hand your DL & CCL to the officer & let him know you are carrying.. In Texas your CCL info is attached to your DL, so even if I was unconscious, when they ran my credentials it would show up.. MOST ALL, but not all EMT's & firefighters are aware of the laws concerning CCW here in Texas. If I was conscious then I would not hesitate to tell the responding officer right away so he could secure my weapon & let him know my family members are aware & will be there to handle my weapon. Don't forget a name & badge just incase.. I trust no one!

[paching]

I got into an accident recently where a three year old boy got away from his dad and ran out into the street as I was driving by (fill in the blank) supermarket, I barely hit him with my wifes car. I knocked him down, he had no broken bones, no road rash, no injury what so ever, thank God. The little boy and his father were crying and to tell you the truth I was shakeing like a leaf. The paramedics checked him out real good and he was alright just scared. The sherriff deputies came out in force, there must have been five patrol cars that showed up. I told them what happened and gave them my documents (license, reg and insurance) and not one of them asked me for my CCL or my weapon. To boot I had to wait for the FL Highway patrol, which took about an hour to arrive..no inquiries about my CCL or weapon either, just what had happened. There were several witnesses that coroborated my story and I wasn't even cited. They didn't ask about my weapon, I didn't mention it.

[dukalmighty]

We used to check any Personal Property into the Evidence Locker,once the person,or family member with proper ID showed up it would be released back to them

[BushidoMarine]

I can answer this question from personal experience. I was carrying a Taurus PT99 in a Galco leather OWB holster when I was involved in a near-fatal (to me alone) head-on collision southwest of Indianapolis in the winter of 1993. I was driving a Chevy Beretta and slid on unseen ice into the other lane striking an S-10 pickup truck driver-to-driver, and was knocked out upon impact, despite wearing my seatbelt. My sister-in-law was in the passenger seat, and my mother was in the back, but they were too incapacitated and/or concerned about me (I also collapsed my lungs and stopped breathing upon impact) to notify the ambulance crew that I was armed. They turned my blood-stained holster and pistol over to hospital security, who then turned it over to my mother once she was well enough to visit me in the hospital.

[Harry25]

My agency doesn't really have a policy in place and I had never given it much thought until I started getting into guns and asked about it.
In the event you are unresponsive and we find a pistol on you during our assessment of you in the back of the truck and A) we haven't began transport yet we will alert an officer to come secure the weapon while leaving it in the holster or B) if we had already began transport I'm comfortable enough with most guns that I would remove and clear the weapon before dropping you off at the ER and would also notify local LE to come take custody of the weapon until it can be released to either a family member or back to you once discharged from the hospital.

In the event you aren't unresponsive, you need to make any first responder aware that you are carrying so that they don't accidentally find it and possibly cause and ND when they have to put hands on you.
The good thing is that most cops, firemen and medics are all into firearms in one way or another be it hunting or just getting in some range time so I wouldn't expect you telling them that you have a weapon on you to freak them out or anything.
Lets just hope you're never in need of our sercives. lol

This. If you're unconscious, I'll only release it to a LEO. I just wouldn't feel comfortable giving someone else's firearm to a family member/hospital security.

If you're conscious, give it to whoever you'd like.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kb2wji]

I've been in this situation plenty of times. Most of the time i'll stuff the gun into a purse, bag, jacket pocket etc...so long as its safe (no mag, slide locked back) and send it to the hospital with the victim. If the victim isnt conscious, i've turned it into our Property / Evidence room, with a release attached. The owner can go pick it up when they get out of the hospital. I've never seen anyone freak out about it.

[barstoolguru]

Don’t let the cops take it, you will have a hard time getting it back. There have been posts on this site and others of cops securing a firearm and the owner having to do though knot holes to get it back

[OldVet]

If I'm getting loading into a meat wagon for emergency reasons, my firearm is the least of my immediate concerns.

[ScottieG59]

I guess this can be a concern in some situations. When I carry in a car, I keep the weapon on my person. Some people place the weapon in a glove box or center console. I do not know how thoroughly anyone will look at the car. I suppose it may be left unsecured for a while.

[MedicMan218]

Don’t let the cops take it, you will have a hard time getting it back. There have been posts on this site and others of cops securing a firearm and the owner having to do though knot holes to get it back

What? Really?
I can see your statement being true if it was used in a self defense situation but if they are just holding on to it for you while you are in the hospital so that it doesn't sit in your busted up car while at the wrecker yard then I see no reason why any honest cop would make you or a family member jump though hoops to get it back. Hell, most of the cops I know don't want to babysit anyone else's belongings any longer than necessary. As soon as they can give it back to the injured person or that person's representative the better.
Also, they likely wouldn't keep it on them for very long. The would probably take it back to the station and lock it up the first chance they got and then it would be up to you to retrieve it from the PD when you were able.

If you could please reference the threads you mentioned I would like to give them a read and see some other peoples experiences with the situation.
Not being a smart ass, I really would like to see them if you're able to find them.