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I agree with you that it is a logistical nightmare but I dont feel that that should prevent me from exercising the right to self defense. Although I have a duty to my patient and my team mates, I have a deeper responsibility to return home to my wife and children at the end of the shift. We are forced to provide less than optimum care all the time as you know due to unforeseen situations and events. If that nightmare scenario ever came true I feel certain that you would attempt to provide care to all persons as well as you could until your backup arrives, at which time you will be taken off of the streets and placed on administrative leave for a period of probably a month or two while an investigation is performed and then you will certainly (at least in my city) be taken before a grand jury and subsequently to trial if it comes to that. After that you WILL BE sued. The nice thing about getting sued is it implies that you are still alive. None of that changes the fact that I have a right to self defense which I did not give away when I raised my hand and said I wish to help people.

Nothing is as hard as ninja training . . . Chuck Norris washed out of ninja training.

Just like fire and paramedic school :)

I just don't realistically believe that we will ever see private employers required to allow concealed carry by their employees. Texas is just to much about employer rights. But I see local governments as an entirely different situation and maybe thats because I work for one and am selfish and want to carry but there are reasons local governments are prohibited from preventing concealed carry by the general public. Restrictions on carry should go away for everyone not just first responders, but I feel that local governments should be legally prohibited from preventing their employees from carrying at work. And I am not talking about just firefighters or paramedics because they are somehow special, I am talking about all public employees, from sanitation engineers to the secretaries at city hall, they all have a right to carry and a GOVERNMENT employer shouldn't have the ability to restrict that just like they cant prevent your from carrying when you walk into the DMV or fire station.

As far as becoming a peace officer I am actually going to the BPOC this year to become a certified peace officer because I would like to do arson investigation. We currently have 7 paramedics who are also certified LEO's and work at various cities and counties near their homes part time and if they are found to have a firearm in their vehicle in a city parking lot, or in a city building, or on their person they will be FIRED just like the rest of us.

3 Weeks ago my partner and I had a butcher knife pulled on us by a psych pt from under her bed in what was thought to be a secure scene without law enforcement presence. Only my partners quick reaction prevented us or anyone else from being seriously injured or killed, and its certainly not the first time. It is not remotely uncommon to be assaulted by patients and bystanders. I find myself in much more dangerous situations on a routine basis while on duty than off. We have had ambulances hijacked at gun point, and paramedics confronted by quickly escalating mobs in situations they could not prevent. We are issued ballistic vests and told to let the cops deal with violent people. (A lot of politicians think the 2nd amendment doesn't apply in todays world because we have cops to protect us remember? If you are pumping gas and someone tries to carjack you with your daughter in the car you should hang back, wait for police to back you up, and let the cops secure the situation for you right?) We are disarmed at threat of termination in government buildings where our employers cannot legally prevent the general public from carrying concealed weapons. Even if we were allowed to carry at work, the practical issues of frequently responding to "prohibited places" and those places properly displaying 30.06 signs would prevent any responders in the field from carrying. Fire128 brought up the concern of securing firearms in situations that you would not carry them such as when "bunking out" in your turnout gear for a fire. It is no different than securing any of your other pieces of property or narcotics etc. place it in a lockbox in the truck. I believe (and I know most people will disagree with me since I represent only a very small portion of us who are first responders, and don't even speak for all first responders) that we MUST pass legislation allowing properly licensed first responders to carry firearms (concealed or open) anywhere a LEO can during the course of their duties. This is no different than allowing a properly licensed private security guard to carry in he course of their duties. Hell make them attend a 40 hour class similar to peace officers even I dont care but we need some sort of solution. Our first responders undergo even more in depth background checks than a standard CHL holder including psychological evaluations in many cases just like peace officers. As a firefighter, paramedic, HazMat tech, and CBRNE specialist assigned to provide medical support to the bomb squad and CBRNE strike teams it frustrates me that I am somehow less deserving of the right to protect myself than the general public.