Questions for EMS leaders before purchasing body armor
EMS agencies across the United States are adding or considering body armor as required personal protective equipment for their EMTs and paramedics. Recent news of ballistic vests, secured through budget allocation, grants or donation, has come from Cleveland, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, Ohio, and Colorado.
Some of the questions I asked in the article, Body armor for EMS: Is it time for every medic to wear a ballistic vest include:
- Is the need for body armor supported by evidence?
- What does body armor protect against?
- What is the department policy for body armor use?
- Are there EMS-functional body armor products?