Texas Firefighters

[Redhawk41]

I am looking at sending my representitives a letter asking for an exemption for emergency workers to carry while on duty into forbidden places. The purpose of this is that as emergency workers we are called into places where we might not be safe and then turn around and make a call to a nursing home. We have no place to lock up our handgun and you can not show your handgun getting it from concealment into a safe. I am looking for support from others to also write their representives. Also I would welcome others views on the possibility of this passing.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[dukalmighty]

I am looking at sending my representitives a letter asking for an exemption for emergency workers to carry while on duty into forbidden places. The purpose of this is that as emergency workers we are called into places where we might not be safe and then turn around and make a call to a nursing home. We have no place to lock up our handgun and you can not show your handgun getting it from concealment into a safe. I am looking for support from others to also write their representives. Also I would welcome others views on the possibility of this passing.

You might try posting on texaschlforum.com There are individuals there who know people that might be able to help you get it passed

[NavDoc]

I am looking at sending my representitives a letter asking for an exemption for emergency workers to carry while on duty into forbidden places. The purpose of this is that as emergency workers we are called into places where we might not be safe and then turn around and make a call to a nursing home. We have no place to lock up our handgun and you can not show your handgun getting it from concealment into a safe. I am looking for support from others to also write their representives. Also I would welcome others views on the possibility of this passing.

Your Firefighters are armed? Wow.

[Redhawk41]

Curently we cannot carry because we cannot carry into the off limits places and no place to secure your handgun.

[Paco]

As long as they get training like their LEO counterparts I think it is a good idea, at least for the Engineer who will be manning the pumps and not actually running in the building/house.

[NavDoc]

Okay. Just the notion that a firefighter needs to be armed shows how bad the neighborhoods have gotten. Years ago, if someone said they need to be armed, they would have laughed at him.

I just did not realized how bad the situation is.

[me]

Ok I will, as a Texas Vol FF/EMT and Part-Time EMT, weigh in on the topic.

Why carry on duty? Do you think that the city/ county/ private service will allow carry while on duty? I know the common thought around here is don't let them know and do it anyway but then you risk your livelihood.

I don't carry when I am going to a fire, I lock the guns in my car. When I am running a first responder call in my own car then I will carry in the same manor I was unless the location is posted.

I will say that this would be a tough one to pass without SFFMA, State Commission and EMS office on your side.

Also I doubt this would help career staff but may help volunteer staff.

[Cupcake]

As long as they get training like their LEO counterparts I think it is a good idea, at least for the Engineer who will be manning the pumps and not actually running in the building/house.

Training is great, but why should Fire/EMS guys need more than a pizza delivery guy? They are not out to enforce laws or make arrests, It's only about coming home at the end of the shift, just like you and I.

[tns0038]

First of all I do not see how your even going to get your department to approve it, without official training and qualifying.

If your responding to a “bad section” of town then the city/county should send a few LEO’s along, who are trained to deal with situations.

And the LEO’s can pay attention to your safety not the fire, or medical emergency.

To and from work, sure but leave your pistol in your car/truck.

[Cupcake]

You guys miss the point. While the organization is not likely to allow it, you cannot even work on that policy until the laws allow for what you want.

Not to mention, how many members here carry at work in spite of work policy that forbids it? Work policy does not carry the force of law, and perhaps he is willing to violate work policy but no the law.

That said, LEOs don't come to every call based on where they are located, but they do come to calls of a violent nature. They don't come to every heart attack, and I've had family members turn hostile on me because they felt my partner and I weren't doing enough/doing something wrong/whatever.

I'm no longer in the business, but these guys are in contact with a lot of people in a lot of places. Heck, they can be targeted or just be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It doesn't even have to be work related, they might just be going into 7-11 for a slurpee or big-boys for lunch. If you don't have to go unarmed to these places, why should they?

[Hopyard]

I think the OP's premise is spot on. If the employer or volunteer organization allows carry in the fire house (has no NO policy), there should be an exception to the hospital carry.

I can think of many situations where EMS and fire fighters are in the presence of dangerous individuals, or might get to a home for an EMS call and be confronted by a dangerous individual. So, it makes some sense that licensed CHL EMS folks should be allowed to carry. If you agree with that, then it really is a nuisance, to say nothing of a legal liability, to prohibit them from entering the hospital while carrying. I can just here the remark as the truck pulls up to ER. Ah, wait a sec, I have to take my gun off before we bring you in.

OP has a good idea and I hope he somehow can catch the attention of folks in The Leg.

[ncffp163]

Is this a volunteer dept or a full time paid dept? The only time I was authorized to carry was when I was a Public Safety Officer (Certified LEO, Firefighter, EMT) and we couldn't carry on the fire apparatus. When working fire duty, we had to keep weapons locked up in vehicle or locker. When I transferred to the county Fire Marshal's Office, No weapons allowed period on county property or in county vehicles UNLESS its was LEO (sheriff's dept). Same was true when I transferred to EMS (same county). If caught...Automatic Termination. Theres been SEVERAL times that I wished that I was carrying...especially when dispatch advised that LEO is 10-15 mins out. They finally got LEO to auto-respond to all calls unless not needed. Then we had to stage a short distance from scene, until LEO cleared same. I hope you can get it passed...Good Luck!!

[Engine1]

I have been in several situations where I thought I might need a firearm, but I never actually needed one (thankfully). Actually, it's probably best that we can't carry because our engineers would probably shoot the idiots that run over our hose lines.

[GMS]

I have carried for a longer time than I have worked as a medic. When I first started EMS, I never even considered the need to carry a defensive weapon. We were always accompanied by one or two LEO’s on any call that even had the hint of potential violence, then it was back to the house to wait for the next call.

Now I work for a private company. The company has no policy allowing or disallowing firearms/fixed blades, but carrying into hospitals and other medical facilities is not legal. The problem is that we respond on calls with no police presence unless requested after the situation has started to spiral out of control. Worse yet is that many EMS crews sit post in the ambulance at locations around the response area instead of returning to a station building. These crews become vulnerable to random violence and attacks seeking to steal the controlled medications on board.

I write my state and federal representatives yearly asking them to put in place some form of exception (additional training requirements or out-right removal of the restriction) that allows emergency service personnel to carry concealed firearms into medical facilities and other banned locations while on duty. I would gladly secure the weapon in the vehicle except I do not feel that this is a safe storage form for a firearm, do not want the possibility that others may see that I am armed, and in a true emergency the time is not available. The laws need to be changed before individual agencies or representative groups will even begin to address the issue.

[Redhawk41]

The city has said that it will not do anyting that will go against state law. Basically they said that if it is legal by the state then we can do it.