My experience is not rural but urban. Most of the times I can make it "rain police" within MINUTES while seconds count. I have wrested guns away from half a dozen people, gone hand to hand with knife wielders, tied domestic abusers into pretzels and played toreador with a manic coke heads. All the while waiting for those long minutes waiting before the cavalry rides over the hill.texasparamedic wrote:I have worked as a paramedic in the rural environment similar to Cooke County for 14 years. I have been hazardous situation’s a few times although rare, having to go hands on with a patient or family member when law enforcement is 20+ minutes away. Even worse when you get into an area with poor or no radio coverage and can’t call for help. I have been shot at and stabbed once in the past 14 years of service both after calling for help and within 10 minutes of LE arrival. I would hate to ever resort to that degree of force against another person (patient or family member) but when it comes down to who gets to go home that day, I would prefer it be me. <SNIP>
Policies and radios (except when used as clubs) do not protect medics. There was a short lived effort to issue and then get medics to wear vests but that was a dubious comfort at best and they do no good stuffed in a side compartment.