Public safety professionals have wildly varying roles based on their job titles. For instance, police officers carry lethal and non-lethal measures to handle potentially violent situations. Firefighters, on the other hand, employ safety, medical, and rescue gear to protect lives and property. Incidentally, emergency medical services (EMS) professionals may operate in dangerous environments just like cops and firefighters. So, can EMS professionals like paramedics carry guns in an ambulance?

EMS personnel like EMTs and paramedics can carry guns on their person and in the ambulance– depending on a few factors

Depending on the state and agency policy, paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) may be allowed to carry guns. However, should regulations allow EMS employees to carry a concealed or open-carry firearm, agencies aren’t going to supply firearms in ambulances.

Still, EMS workers often operate in dangerous conditions. As a result, the fire department I served with kept ballistic soft armor and Kevlar helmets inside the agency’s ambulances. However, the presence of body armor wasn’t an invitation to carry a firearm to emergency scenes. 

That said, the state and my department’s policies allowed personnel like paramedics and firefighters to carry guns as long as they didn’t get in the way of their duties. However, not every provider is a vocal advocate for EMS personnel carrying firearms on duty. 

After all, the purpose of EMS is patient care, not law enforcement. What’s more, a firearm is another tool that emergency medical personnel must protect from theft and carry responsibly. Many ambulances have locking safes that EMS personnel use for personal property. But that doesn’t stop nearby opportunists from stealing items out of rigs.

Fortunately, EMS professionals like paramedics and EMTs can easily summon police support at emergency scenes. Incidentally, EMTs and paramedics are typically bound by policy (and common sense) to wait for a “clear” scene, meaning no immediate danger.