What happens, medical condition with a CCW

[runco]

Call me weird, this came to me yesterday while an ambulance passed me on the highway.  Suppose I were to have a medical condition out in public or was involved in a auto wreck while carrying and I was either unconscious or incoherent.  So what happens to my carry weapon(s)?  Does the first responders check for CCW, do they discover by accident, or is this left to the ER folks to manage?  Then what is the proper protocol? 

 

Also, let me add in, I am sure 99% of all first responders are 1st class and very ethical, but I have some experience of a loved one who was killed in a auto accident 12 years ago (pronounced dead at the scene) and  a very pricy bracelet ($5K) on their wrist went missing from the auto accident scene and the ER.  Never was found.  So I would like to add this into the mix to ponder.  Thanks for your input. 

[DaveTN]

I’m sure every department has their own policies, but when I was a cop if we were towing a car from an accident scene and guns or valuable property was in it; we tagged it as “Personal Property” and placed it in evidence. The owner could then come and claim it.

 

I was never sent to the hospital to recover anything, so I assume they deal with the family. When Officers were hurt their firearms were turned over to either family members or other Officers at the hospital.

 

Paramedics will disarm you as soon as they see a gun. I would guess they treat it the same way they treat your other personal property. However, if they don’t want to try to clear it they would probably just hand it to a cop the scene; they have more important things to deal with.

 

Theft is always a possibility at an accident scene, just as it is anywhere else.

 

 

[Guest Averhoeven]

It would likely be treated as personal property as said above. In my time in the ER at multiple facilities, we've always placed people's stuff in a "belongings bag" (just a giant plastic bag. This includes EVERYTHING, even the clothes we have to cut off you. I'm sure someone would ensure the gun was safe to store and add it to the collection

[MarkInNashville]

As a 20 year volunteer firefighter and EMT we would turn a weapon over to a LEO. Honestly I never saw one or even heard about it.

[tyguy]

My Grandfather had the ER scenario several times, related to heart attacks. In at least 2 cases a hospital employee handed my grandmother a bag of personal effects....everything in his pockets, including whatever pistol he had on him that day. Always still loaded (revolvers). Probably depends on each hospital protocol. Thieves can be found anywhere. I often wonder if wallets are relieved of their cash in some instances.

[UncleJak]

Up in my area, they had a EMS lady who stole cash off of someone.  Too bad for her the cops had already inventoried the scene and knew about the money. She ended up losing her job and claimed she had torn the money up and thrown it away due to guilt. (idk if i believe that or not). 

[BlackHawk93]

As stated above by another EMS provider when a gun is found on a victim and LE are still on scene it gets placed in their hands. In my 20 years in EMS I've seen it happen only 4 or 5 times. Now that I'm in a different part of EMS I never see it. But that's how it was handled when I was working on the ground.

[Guest RedLights&Sirens]

As a 20 year volunteer firefighter and EMT we would turn a weapon over to a LEO. Honestly I never saw one or even heard about it.

This.

I have been in EMS proffesionaly and as a volunteer for 11 years and was a firefighter for 7 and while I would give bennefit of the doubt to a person with a gun it goes 100% against everything we are taught. Scene safety begins with my safety then my partners, patient and so on. Yes it is a patients property as far as I am concerned but it is not a risk we can take... especially in Memphis.

That being said I have only ever encountered firearms in a persons home. If in public I would request that an LEO take possesion, preferably a family member depending on the circumstances. I would hate to strip a person of their rights but I will not risk my career and license knowingly bringing a gun in to a hospital. Playing stupid wouldnt work because then it just shows that I didnt perform a full physical exam on a patient, going back to risking my license.

I figured that I should add that if it is something critical and there is no LEO or family present I would go ahead and transport with the gun. I am not risking a patients life over such a trivial issue. But again, I would make sure security is aware and let them decide how to handle it. Edited May 11, 2013 by RedLights&Sirens

[Smith]

When I had my motorcycle wreck the LEO asked if I wanted him to take it or if I wanted to take it with me to the hospital. Kinda got the feeling he was encouraging me to keep it with me. The EMT's had no problem with me keeping my gun in my bag with my other belongings. At the hospital they asked if I wanted to check it in to at the security desk or keep it on my person. I thought it was pretty cool of everybody involved and pleasantly surprising. This was downtown Nashville and at baptist hospital.

[Pain103]

It has been covered in a few previous threads. But from my experience if it is found prior to your arrival at the hospital and you are unable to physically control it the firearm is locked at the police department's armory for safe keeping. Then it will be returned to you no problems when you choose to get it. Also many hospitals have security with safes that will secure your firearm in the safe until whenever. Edited May 11, 2013 by Pain103

[Jamie Jackson]

I'm an RN and work in an ER. I know there are a few Paramedics on board here as well. It's my understanding the firearms are turned over to peace officers that respond to the scene.

I know when I underwent CONTOMS training (Tac-Med), searching for and securing a weapon on a downed officers was one of the first things we we do. You don't want a man that has just been shot or injured "waking up" with you hovering over them...Fight Mode was still on when they went down.

 

From my experience:

I've run across a few guns, and tons of knives on folks. I've always unloaded the handguns and secured them in the patients personal belongings bag, labeled it, and made sure a family member took control of it and documented the fact.

 

I've had peace officers as patients, still armed, did the same...but have occasionally turned the firearm over to another officer that was present...who, if it wasn't needed for evidence, returned the firearm to the officer or their family.

 

Knives? they are ubiquitous! Everybody seems to have one. If you are mentally/chemically impaired, unconscious, etc...bagged, documented, labeled the same as all of your personal possessions. If no family is present, the belongings (valuables) are itemized, sealed in a large envelop, and security will lock them in a safe, the receipt stays with the patient's chart until the patient is ready to retrieve them.

 

 

I've run across many more firearms during the 18 years I worked in New Orleans, but still see them a few times a year here in TN.

[Guest bluecanary25]

I have on my phone ICE personal info, an entry stating I have a HCP and most likely have a loaded firearm on my person.

Also have statement that my ICE contact person should be given my firearm.

Just occurred to me that I could list mdl and s/n of my current EDC.... hmmm....

Edited May 13, 2013 by bluecanary25

[Guest Emtdaddy1980]

This.

I have been in EMS proffesionaly and as a volunteer for 11 years and was a firefighter for 7 and while I would give bennefit of the doubt to a person with a gun it goes 100% against everything we are taught. Scene safety begins with my safety then my partners, patient and so on. Yes it is a patients property as far as I am concerned but it is not a risk we can take... especially in Memphis.

That being said I have only ever encountered firearms in a persons home. If in public I would request that an LEO take possesion, preferably a family member depending on the circumstances. I would hate to strip a person of their rights but I will not risk my career and license knowingly bringing a gun in to a hospital. Playing stupid wouldnt work because then it just shows that I didnt perform a full physical exam on a patient, going back to risking my license.

I figured that I should add that if it is something critical and there is no LEO or family present I would go ahead and transport with the gun. I am not risking a patients life over such a trivial issue. But again, I would make sure security is aware and let them decide how to handle it.

+1

[Guest Emtdaddy1980]

My partner and I have pretty much pre planned that if LEO isn't available for whatever reason then I will clear the weapon and it will be secured in a locking cabinet with the narcs and documented until LE can take possession. Seems like the most responsible way to handle it. Any scene I've ever worked LE has been there though.

[Jonsaiga]

I work in an ER as well and we have had several CCW's brought in with the patient and often still on the patient. Like with all other valuables, a patient care rep comes and documents all of the patients belongings and security takes possesion of the weapon and all valuable property is locked up in our safe until patient is discharged or family takes possesion after producing the personal property sheet reciept.