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Is the scene safe?
Got dispatched to a 19 yoa male suicidal subject last week in a public area...I contacted the LEO entroute and asked him to let us know when the scene was safe...After being told it was safe I arrived to find the subject on his cell phone holding a bag with his back to the police officer. The man looked at me with surprise and asked "Are you guys here for me?
I looked at the LEO in disbelief and said, "Have you even talked to him?"
He said, "No."
Needless to say I had a conversation with his Lt. that morning....
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jeremy Pickett on
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Goodness, that could have been dangerous. If he didn't even talk to him, that means he didn't even search him to make sure he didn't have weapons. Some people shouldn't be cops.
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Permalink Reply by Norm Tindell on
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Every LEO's definition of "safe" is different, I guess. 59 have died so far this year...
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Permalink Reply by Oldman on
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Is ANY scene really safe?
I was on a "I don't feel well" call, and after assessing the elderly lady, we assisted her to the stretcher. In doing so, a loaded handgun fell to the floor from under her hip. I make vehicle collisions all the time where a weapon is present.
In Texas, over 6 million people have their concealed carry permit. There are an estimated 12 million persons who own or posses a weapon, so the chances of being on a scene with a weapon is about 1 chance in 3. It is a guarantee that there is a concealed weapon within my reach when I'm at home.
Things can get overlooked. People can become complacent, firefighters, medics, and law enforcement officers are all guilty. Crazy people are not the only ones will use a weapon, so we should learn to become aware of our surroundings. It is just not practical to wait for law enforcement to clear each and every scene we roll into.
As far as taking the matter up with "his Lt. that morning," I would recommend taking it through your chain of command, and letting that conversation take place with one of your chief officers instead.
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Permalink Reply by Roy Walker on
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I always try and teach that the only person responsible for your personal safety is you . Beyonhd that it is the responsibilty of every firefighter to watch out for their fellow fire fighter. Then we get into the responsibilty that exists through the chain of command. These are high ideals but our biggest problem is complacency, the job we have caught a hundred times and never had a problem ,thats when you get hurt.Nobody has trouble paying attention when the danger is obvious or our attention is hightened by information , but when we respond to the routine call often that danger is never considered
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Permalink Reply by DUST on
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I did talk to my Capt. and your right I should have let him address it. Well, I've been reprimanded before for skipping a link or two in that chain. The call was a safety reminder and lesson learned for me.
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Dust, you are right on with your thoughts, a written report is hsrd to ignore when you hand it to your officer and in this case a review of how to handle scene safety would be a good iodea using your experience to benifit others. Most importantly is that you have it right when you state that atleast you will change the way you deal with your own personal safety
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Permalink Reply by Brendan O'Keefe on
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Our dispatch sends patrol first. And with something like this, they will tone it out as a "police emergency" and have a chief line officer call dispatch on the phone for the call info. then they will have us hold in quarters till its safe or have us go to a staging area. this works well.
but as stated. you never know what your gonna find.... a gun under the pillow? yeah its happened.....
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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on
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Apparently the scene was safe to him. Difference of perspective.
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Permalink Reply by Chris Watson on
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the two scene safe calls to come to mind are:
I once responded to a domestic dispute with injuries, to both parties. upon arriving on scene (that was declared safe) we find both patients ( husband and wife who beat the crap out of each other preceding a court date for divorce) sitting in the same corner of the living room in two easy chairs, cops out in hall, and i noticed a (loaded) 12g shotgun resting in the corner between them.
the other I responded to a call of an entrapment in object. we arrive on scene to find one fellow with his thumb stuck in a 12g shotgun barrel and his friend yanking and twisting from the butt end. i noticed he was handling the area of the trigger guard. i asked if the weapon was unloaded, they both shrugged. yep. loaded, safety off. it really could have been a rapid extrication if that trigger had been pulled
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Permalink Reply by 55 TRUCK on
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We have firehouses with bullet holes in the outside walls and a bay door or two or three. etc.
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Permalink Reply by Todd Seaney on
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AMEN!!!!
It's not just because we are in emergnecy services. Lets face it the world is not safe. You should always exspect the unexspected.
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