Should Paramedics Be Allowed to Carry Firearms?

Kody Lewin

15th December 2014

Should Paramedics be Allowed to Carry Firearms?

Paramedics have been providing advanced life support to the public in the United States since as early as the 1960’s. However, in our modern society, where several first responders are being killed on a daily basis, a controversial topic has surfaced in the paramedic community, a topic that I am particularly passionate about. This controversial topic is, “Should paramedics be allowed to carry firearms?”

What I Know

Growing up with a law enforcement officer as a father and with my sister recently becoming a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and a certified emergency medical technician (EMT), I have experienced many emergency situations and have a strong understanding of how emergency situations work. However, on July 15th, 2011, the shooting that occurred at the Hampton Inn, in Twin Falls, raised a question in my mind. During the chaotic situation, I noticed that the paramedics that were on-scene (located approximately a block or two away) were not carrying any firearms in order to protect themselves and were not entering the actual “scene” to help the injured people, but were providing aid to the injured people away from the scene (as I said, approximately a block or two away from the actual scene). After I saw this, I subconsciously asked myself, “why are the paramedics not entering the scene and aiding the injured people closer to the scene?” but more importantly, I asked myself, “why aren’t the paramedics armed with firearms so they can protect themselves if they had to enter the scene in order to aid a victim in a critical condition?”

After the frantic situation came to an end, and the suspect of the shooting was in custody, I approached my father, who was involved in the incident, and asked him about the questions that had arose in my mind during the shooting. When I asked my dad why the paramedics had not parked the ambulance closer to the scene and helped people that...