r/Paramedics • u/Ok_Assistance69 • Jun 21 '25

US Overruling captain!

Just getting opinions here. Other night we had a well known psych patient who’s not only know to verbally accost medics/hospital staff, but can get aggressive. Delt with her multiple times where our local PD had her cuffed, hands on a taser. On scene for the THIRD time that week same patient, different captain (not mine, was working OT) and I told this captain “we’re going to need PD” Captain replied back “THIS IS NOT A PD ISSUE” very loud and aggressively I might add. I stated “she can get aggressive” he replied back “SHES NOT AGGRESSIVE”and he denied calling PD. Once she was loaded on the stretcher, she started to become verbally hostile, then and only then did the captain call PD. Then I was instructed to go to my patient. She started getting verbally hostile with me. I was told to get in the engine at this point and the other medics would run the call. PD followed the medic unit to our local ER.

Now, we all learned “BSI/scene safety” right? I always thought it was a medics discretion if it came to safety. KC firefighter died over a psychiatric patient after being stabbed by her. Another psych call, patient flew out the back doors and ended up being killed by a semi truck.

Does anyone think this needs to go up the chain? I feel mine AND my crews safety was compromised by a captain with a superiority complex and this captain has been known for his temper. His behavior was unprofessional, unacceptable and unbecoming an officer.

Opinions???

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u/rycklikesburritos FP-C TP-C Jun 21 '25

If I'm the medic running the call I don't care if chief is on scene, I'm in charge. I would have just called for PD myself. PD isn't only there for aggressive patients. If it's a psych I have them on all my calls. They are the dudes with the body cams that can back me up if I get accused of anything.

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u/epicfartcloud Jun 21 '25

>I don't care if chief is on scene, I'm in charge.

I feel you, except that's not how it really works in most fire-based EMS systems. Firemedics have to follow their officer's instructions and do what they're told, only exercising independent authority to the extent that the chief allows it (and trusts them to do it, which in fairness, could be a missing part of OP's story). They're only 'practically' in charge, not actually.

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u/davethegreatone Jun 22 '25

In my fire department, the medic who takes the call is in charge of the medical scene, even if officers are there or even if other senior medics are there (when we have two medics on a rig, we take turns every other patient).

My patient = my scene (at least as far as purely-medical scenes go. If it's like an MCI or a car wreck that has a medical component of a larger-overall traffic & extrication scene, that's obviously different).