What do EMTs do with your gun?

[siglite]

Assuming you're hurt. Car crash, motorcycle crash, struck by lighting, whatever, and you're transported. What do the EMTs do with your sidearm when they find it?

I've always wondered this, and nearly found out myself last year, but was able to limp to the doc-in-a-box and waive transport.

But if they'd had to throw me on a gurney and into the meat-wagon... what would they have done with my firearm?

And, saying it somehow makes it all the way to the hospital undiscovered, what would the ER docs do with the thing?

 

[The Tourist]

LOL. It has been my experience that when my buddies awake in the hospital they always ask, "How's my bike?"

If your license is current, and there will be police officers around, the firearm will just be gathered up.

But in a very real sense, if you are "meat on a gurney," don't you have more pressing problems?

 

[RustyShackelford]

Be careful...

A few years ago, I read a news report of a small town, Indiana County PA, medical examiner/coroner that was caught stealing items from dead bodies/death scenes, . I have spoken to many cops/security guards/EMTs/firefighters that have seen incidents like the post...

RS

 

[Pax Jordana]

In PA law it is illegal to bring 'any weapon' onto an ambulance, unless you're an on-duty LEO.

I dunno how it is in other places, but we don't dispatch without a police unit. They don't always show up, but you can get on the radio and ask 'em to if they don't. Were I to come upon an injured and armed person, I'd do just that. They're usually glad to swing by if you promise them something interesting

And no, an ambulance asking for a cop is not like grandma making a noise complaint - we get pretty prompt service.

ETA: though if you're bad off, especially in a car/bike accident, that means you're a trauma case and your butt is getting moved quick like quick. In that case, were we to come upon your gun in the ambulance it'd ride with you all the way to the hospital for the ER to deal with (just like the rest of you!)

 

[The Tourist]

coroner...stealing...from dead bodies/death scenes

If they ever have to pry me out of the grill of a Chevy, I guess they could have my Emerson.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

My guess would be that the investigating LEOs will "take charge" of it. What they would do with it (hold it in a property room, etc.) or how you (or your next of kin) would reclaim it is anyone's guess.

The one time I was in a car crash and injured was A - 16 years ago, and B - I was not carrying any gun at the time. My totaled car was taken to impound.

 

[Eric F]

Boy do I have some stories for this thread!

I have been a firefighter for 20 years, worked with 9 departments(counting volunteer and mutual aid departments) First department I worked for we were advised to leave it in place and allow a police officer to remove the firearm because "we did not know what we were doing with guns".......um yeah right! Well one day we get a motorcycle accident guy was in dire need of a med-evac has a 1911 easy enough to grab and clear to hand off to leo later, I go for it and the ems offices stands there and says"no let me I went to Viet Nam I an expert" Went to grab the gun and it goes off! Bullet went right between my partner and I. Great shot! He got fired that afternoon. 22 years in the fire service 3 to go til retirement......too bad he had to be the big weapons handeler and did not notice the safety was not on safe.

The department I work for now has the policey of disarm asap so patient care can be rendered safely. If said patient does not comply then we back out/off until LEO shows up. If they do surender the fire arm to us we clear it and hand over to LEO. Some guys do not feel safe with handeling guns they just take it as is and place it away from the patient until LEO arives. Its only hapened twice in the last 5 years though.

 

[Phil DeGraves]

I went to the emergency room last year, informed the technician; he called security, secured it until I was ready to leave. No big deal.

 

[redneckrepairs]

Most likely thing is one way or another local LE responsible for the scene will wind up with the gun and you can reclaim it from them . The EMT involved just wants the dammed thing gone so he is not responsible for it , about the same as your wallet , they will never hand a cop your license but they will your entire wallet , Its just a thing to get rid of so you can concentrate on the patent , not safeguarding his valuables lol

 

[Coronach]

The gun will be turned over to the local LE as either evidence (if you were involved in a crime, either as victim or suspect) or safekeeping. In the latter case they should issue you a receipt for it (request one if you are able and they do not), and you just go down to the property room and sign it out. In the former case it is more complicated, but once they determine it is not needed as evidence, the officer/DA/detective should have it released to its owner.

Mike

 

[MillCreek]

We have talked about this before and a search will find the threads. Back when I was working the paramedic van, I would remove the weapon from the patient, clear and unload it, drop the weapon and ammo into a biohazard bag, tie it off and then hand it to hospital security or the police as the case may be. I noted on my trip sheet the make, serial number and round count and that it was given to the hospital staff. The biohazard bag makes people pay attention so to minimize the chance that it is carelessly discarded.

I have seen a lot of different approaches on this by department, and some of those approaches are articulated in this thread.

 

[siglite]

Hmm. Well, I suppose that's good to hear. I mean, it seems like the consensus is that if it's not a criminal thing, the EMTs will disarm you (I have no problem with that, BTW) and shuffle the thing off to LEOs. I'm fine with that too. I don't live in gun-grabber-land as far as LEOs go, so I'm pretty confident I'd get it back with no trouble.

When I crashed last year, I peeled my leathers down as far as I could (my shoulder was in agony) while talking to the LEO on scene. I didn't even realize my P220 was uncovered until he glanced down at it.

"I have a permit for that."

"pft. I don't care."

Not another word was said. Cool LEO. But it was actually a factor in my answer when he asked if I wanted transport. I didn't know how EMTs and such would handle that P220 being there, and I didn't want to just say to this LEO, "hey, mind watching my .45 for me while I'm off getting poked, prodded and xrayed?"

He probably would've been fine with that, but I'm kinda ... eh... I just like having control of my own firearms at all times.

 

[Eric F]

I would remove the weapon from the patient, clear and unload it, drop the weapon and ammo into a biohazard bag, tie it off and then hand it to hospital security or the police as the case may be

The biohazard bag makes people pay attention so to minimize the chance that it is carelessly discarded.

As the unwiting hospital staff tosses your gun into the biohazard bin thinking it was some sort of contaminated stuff.....................

 

[El Tejon]

September 1995 the Friday before Labor Day, I was coming back to my brother's apartment from work downtown Indy and was looking forward to a cook out and then a weekend shootingfest at my aunt's place.

Driving down the street in my Buick Road Monster (I was 25 but found a good deal on it), I was t-boned by a pick up truck that attempted to crush my driver's side door. I woke up hanging from from safety belt in the passenger seat (the collison knocked me from the driver's seat into the passenger seat).

The deputy Sheriff who responded grabbed my Glock 23 and mags and my knife. Fortunately my father was close and came to the scene (I cannot remember if I called or the cops did) and retrieved my property.

Wierd thing is that no one asked for my carry license. Of course, I got wacked pretty hard and was too busy looking at the birds and stars around my head, so the cops could have gone through my wallet for all I know.

 

[packnrat]

short answer...do not get hit while riding a bike.

said while rubbing my left leg..it is stil working good, and still on me.





.dec 31 1980 8:15 am. overcast and dry. very cold. road clear no problems with vision.

 

[Rangermedic]

At present the pistol is made safe then placed into a lock box seprare from the ammo [and out of the pt. treatment area] the make, model, & serial # are noted on the chart. At the Hosp. they are both turned over to a LEO who signs for them. also when your property is inventoried any ID or CHL is noted.

 

[hotpig]

I'm in Illinois so weapons at a scene are almost non existent. If they are off of their property with a gun they are either a cop or a crook.

Either way I'm taking charge of their gun until other LE arrive. With cops I hold their guns until a officer from their agency arrives. I would only turn it over to another agency if I had to leave the scene or they are from out of the immediate area.

 

[blackcash88]

Heck, in this CT sh^thole, it probably would be confiscated and you'd need a lawyer to get it back. If it wasn't destroyed first...or ended up in some corrupt statie's collection...

 

[T J]

We had been out in the desert for a long weekend of camping and shooting. On the way back into town we flipped the jeep we were in, scattering the contents including numerous rifles and pistols all over the place. I got a ride in an ambulance, and my friend who was driving got one in a helicopter. Later that night back in town at the friends house, a deputy hand delivered all the guns and handed them over very politely and with no hassle. I was pleasantly surprised by this gesture. One rifle had the stock broken in two. I had a bunch of bruses and stitches, my friend didn't make it. Bad ending to a terrific weekend.

 

[siglite]

wow. Sorry about your friend TJ.

 

[pyle]

That makes me wonder what would happen if you were in an accident where you were knocked out cold and maybe your handgun was thrown well away from you. How would the EMT or police know you ever had a gun? Suppose they didn't find it - and some 10 year old kid comes walking down the street a few days later and finds it - then goes and shoots someone with it? Wonder if the gun would get traced back to you and get you into trouble? Just a thought....

 

[Bazooka Joe71]

Be careful...
A few years ago, I read a news report of a small town, Indiana County PA, medical examiner/coroner that was caught stealing items from dead bodies/death scenes, . I have spoken to many cops/security guards/EMTs/firefighters that have seen incidents like the post...

If you're dead, what is there to be careful about?

 

[blackcash88]

Oh, come on Bazooka. By your logic, who cares the government seizes all your assets, right? After all, you're dead...heirs be damned.

It's still private property and if the actual owner can no longer use it, it should go to next of kin and not some officer's private collection, seized by the authorities, etc.

 

[Thernlund]

This reminds me of a buddy of mine. He got into a bad bike wreck. The kind where he SHOULD be dead. He got hit by a semi. Ouch.

So after him and his former bike, now twisted metal, come to a stop, he stands up, walks briskly to the driver of the semi, and rattles off his name and a name and phone number to call. He asks the driver if he got it, then repeats it for good measure. Then he passes out.

He later said that right after the accident he knew he was in bad shape and that he had to tell someone who to call ASAP before he went into shock.

So he wakes up from a coma in the hospital four days later. Broke about half his bones. Spent a year in therapy. Ooof.


-T.

 

[MillCreek]

I would remove the weapon from the patient, clear and unload it, drop the weapon and ammo into a biohazard bag, tie it off and then hand it to hospital security or the police as the case may be
Quote:
The biohazard bag makes people pay attention so to minimize the chance that it is carelessly discarded.
As the unwiting hospital staff tosses your gun into the biohazard bin thinking it was some sort of contaminated stuff.....................

That's why I always carefully handed off the opaque red biohazard bag to security/LE and verbally informed them there was an unloaded handgun within. I found that using a clear plastic bag seemed to freak out too many people when they saw the firearm inside.

What did you find that worked well?