Hoffman Estates Fire Department Safety Guidelines PDF

HOFFMAN ESTATES FIRE DEPARTMENT STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES SOG Category & Identification Number: EFFECTIVE DATE: SAFETY GUIDELINES– 007 January 1, 2022 NIMS COMPLIANT SOG Title: EMS-Patient/Passenger in Possessio...

HOFFMAN ESTATES FIRE DEPARTMENT STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES SOG Category & Identification Number: EFFECTIVE DATE: SAFETY GUIDELINES– 007 January 1, 2022 NIMS COMPLIANT SOG Title: EMS-Patient/Passenger in Possession of a Revision: Concealed Weapon 1 APPROVED BY: NUMBER OF PAGES: Re-evaluation Date: Alan Wax January 1, 2024 Fire Chief 7 PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to outline the expected procedures for intervening with EMS patients and/or their families who, under the law, may be carrying a concealed weapon. The intent is to reduce the potential risk of injury to Hoffman Estates Fire Department (HEFD) personnel, other emergency responders, and the public. This policy aims to mutually respect the rights of citizens who lawfully carry a concealed weapon, as well as, to provide safety for emergency personnel. POLICY Unsecured weapons are not allowed in any HEFD apparatus. The only person allowed in an ambulance with a weapon on them is an alert and oriented law enforcement officer. This policy will address the following scenarios:  Conscious and alert patients  Unconscious, altered or non-decisional patients  Family members and friends who have weapons and want to ride to the hospital in the ambulance PROCEDURE Emergency Call Guidelines All fire department personnel should anticipate that any patient might have a weapon, legally concealed or otherwise. The safety of department personnel is paramount and they should never approach a patient who appears threatening, no matter how ill the person seems. Law enforcement shall be called to secure the scene and to disarm any threatening individual(s). 1  Ideally, the patient will self-disclose that they have a weapon. However, it is possible at times some patients may choose not to declare or may not be able to indicate that they have a weapon. The following considerations pertain to the discovery of a weapon on a patient:  Department personnel should ALWAYS assume that all firearms are loaded.  HEFD personnel should NEVER attempt to unload a firearm.  Optimally, weapons should be safely secured by the patient at their residence and not be transported with the patient.  Patients with an altered level of consciousness, severe pain, or with difficulties in motor control should not be encouraged to disarm themselves. Caution should be used at all times when handling a weapon, which should normally be done by a police officer.  Patients carrying a firearm while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, are committing a criminal offense, and the Hoffman Estates Police Department (HEPD) and/or appropriate police agency should be notified immediately.  Under no circumstances should department personnel compromise their safety in regard to these guidelines. When in doubt about a patient or family/friend with a weapon or the weapon itself, personnel should have the police respond.  When requesting the HEPD, inform NWCDS dispatch that you need their assistance with securing a weapon. Be specific, i.e. firearm.  If a weapon is found while transporting a patient, the ambulance should be stopped. At least 2 HEFD personnel should be present while the weapon is secured in the Lock Box.  After a weapon is secured, HEFD personnel will transfer it to a police officer or hospital security and have no additional contact with the weapon.  Documentation of a secured weapon should be documented in the NWCH EMS report including how and where it was found, a description of the firearm, and the disposition. Pre-hospital Actions of Emergency Medical Services Department personnel may discover a weapon on a patient at the scene, or in some instances during a secondary survey while in route to the hospital. Based on the possible scenarios previously listed, HEFD personnel shall adhere to the following steps when a weapon is discovered. Conscious and Alert Patients  Patients who are alert, oriented and decisional should be asked if they are carrying any weapons. If the answer is yes, the patient will be told that no weapons of any type are allowed in fire department vehicles pursuant to 430 ILCS 66/65.  If the emergency response is occurring at the patient’s place of residence, they should be asked to leave their weapon(s) in a secure location at their home or with a responsible person prior to transport. 2   If it is not possible to leave the weapon behind, or if the emergency response is occurring away from home, patients may relinquish their weapon(s) to a police officer at the scene if one is available.  If the patient is not at their residence and a police officer is not available, or the patient’s condition does not permit waiting for an officer to arrive, HEFD personnel should follow the Lock Box Procedure.  If the patient is unwilling to relinquish their weapon(s), the emergency crews should refrain from continuing the assessment, notify OLMC if applicable, complete a Release of Liability and clear the scene. Unconscious, Altered or Non‐Decisional Patients  Department personnel should always approach patients who are non‐decisional or who have an altered mental status with extreme caution. Crews should consider staging for law enforcement if it is discovered that the patient is carrying a weapon. If a weapon is found on a patient with an altered level of consciousness, personnel should not attempt to have the patient hand over the weapon.  Department personnel should not attempt to remove a weapon from a patient whose level of consciousness could precipitate the use of that weapon against them. The police should be called to assist in disarming these patients. The weapon will then remain with law enforcement.  If the patient is unconscious and requires emergent care but a police officer is not on the scene, the weapon should be carefully removed by HEFD personnel. Optimally, firearms should remain in their holsters during removal. Once separated from the patient, the weapon should be secured per the Lock Box Procedure. Passengers with a Concealed Weapon(s)  Potential passengers such as family or friends should be asked if they are carrying a concealed weapon.  If potential passengers are carrying a concealed weapon, then they must leave the weapon behind in a secure location or with a responsible person.  If it is not possible for the passenger to leave the weapon behind, then they must be willing to relinquish the weapon to police.  If law enforcement is not on the scene and it is not possible for the crew to wait for them, then the passenger must be willing to allow EMS or fire crews to secure the weapon in a lockable box and transfer custody of the weapon to law enforcement. If the potential passenger is not willing to relinquish their weapon to any of the above, then they will NOT be permitted to ride in the ambulance. 3 Lock Box Procedure This procedure should be used as a LAST RESORT and only if a police officer is not available, or the patient’s condition requires leaving the scene before a police officer can arrive. 1. Place, or have the patient place, the holstered weapon into the Lock Box with the proper orientation as depicted on the box. Muzzle should face the red stripe. 2. Close the Lock Box by sliding the lockable latches inward. 3. Conduct a thorough secondary survey. 4. If additional weapon(s) are found, begin at step 1 again. 5. Fasten security tags through both latch holes. 6. Place the lock box in a secure location (i.e. outside compartment, under the bench seat or other designated space in the ambulance prior to transport). 7. Notify NWCDS that a secured weapon is being transported with the patient and request HEPD to the ER so they can take possession upon your arrival. 8. Complete the Concealed Weapon Chain of Custody form by carefully following the directions on the form. 9. If no law enforcement officer is available to meet the ambulance at the hospital, contact OLMC to advise hospital security to meet the ambulance upon arrival to take possession. Document transfer of the weapon(s) to that facility on the Concealed Weapon Chain of Custody form:  Original copy stays with firearm;  The YELLOW copy goes with Law Enforcement  The PINK copy goes to the hospital security  The GOLD copy goes with EMS;  Document the transfer in your patient care report 10. Once possession of the weapon has been transferred to another party, tear off the HEFD copy, take a picture of the document and attach it to the PCR electronically. The hard copy shall be sent to the D/C of Fire Administration. DEFINITIONS EXCEPTIONS REFERENCES 4 5  CONCEALED WEAPON CHAIN OF CUSTODY FORM DOCUMENTATION OF WEAPON(S)  Firearm(s)  Cutting Blade(s)  Electroshock Weapon  Other_________________ How many & type(s) of each indicated above______________________________________________ CONFINEMENT OF WEAPON(S) Patient Name___________________________________________________ DOB________________ Address____________________________________________________ Phone #________________ City_______________________________ State__________ Zip____________ Firearm Make/Model_________________________________ Firearm Serial #__________________ Lock Box #______________________________________ Seal #______________________________ Placed by______________________________ _____________________________ on ____________ Name/Agency Signature Date Witness_______________________________ _____________________________ on ____________ Name/Agency Signature Date DELIVERY OF WEAPON(S) FROM EMS TO HOSPITAL Patient/Other (Circle one) for Release to Secure Weapon____________________________________ Signature Lock Box #______________________________________ Seal #______________________________ Given by _____________________________ ____________________________ on ____________ Name/Agency Signature Date Received by_____________________________ ____________________________ on ____________ Name/Facility Signature Date DELIVERY OF WEAPON(S) FROM EMS/HOSPITAL TO LAW ENFORCEMENT Patient/Other (Circle one) for Release to Secure Weapon____________________________________ Signature Lock Box #______________________________________ Seal #______________________________ Given by________________________________ ____________________________ on ___________ Name/Facility/Agency Signature Date Received by_____________________________ ____________________________ on ____________ Name/Agency Signature Date RELEASE OF WEAPON(S) FROM HOSPITAL/LAW ENFORCEMENT TO OWNER Patient/Other (Circle one) for Release to Secure Weapon____________________________________ Signature Lock Box #______________________________________ Seal #______________________________ Placed by______________________________ _____________________________ on ____________ Name/Facility/Agency Signature Date Witness_______________________________ _____________________________ on ____________ Weapon Owner Signature Date 6 End of Document 7