Last week I wrote two questions about EMS and concealed carry weapons. Many other EMS bloggers have been writing on this topic.
But before I link to their posts I want to point out this recent article, Flight Attendant’s gun goes off at airport security in Philadelphia. The flight attendant was a permitted concealed carry holder, forgot they had a handgun in their bag, and then the weapon was discharged by a police officer that was called over to “check the gun.” A concealed carry permit, and apparently being a police officer, doesn’t equal competence. The effectiveness of the weapon, as well as the safety of others, is highly dependent on the responsibility taken by me and other gun owners.
The accidental discharge of the flight attendants weapon is a great example of a near miss. No one was injured and the damage was minimal. We could almost say nothing happened. But a near miss is not a near success. It is a near failure. There are some important lessons that concealed carry permit holders and people that handle other people’s belongings should learn apply from the news story.
The post links I promised above …
- Should EMS Providers Be Carrying Guns on the Job?
- EMS Providers Carrying Guns – A Terrible Idea
- Should Ambulances Crews be Allowed to Carry Weapons
- Arming EMS: the Debate Continues
- Tubes and Guns and Training, Oh No
- Armed EMS – Reactive or Proactive
Fake Headline: Paramedic’s gun goes off at Hospital
I thought about re-writing the news story and replacing “flight attendant” with “paramedic”, but that seemed too easy. Does anyone know the education and training requirements to become a flight attendant?
I once served as a character reference for a friend and commercial pilot that wanted to carry a pistol with him to the flight deck. The background investigation was very thorough. Perhaps the most thorough reference check I have ever been involved in. I am not sure if the background check is the same for other members of the flight crew that want to carry.
