Is it true?

[zephers]

Not sure if this has been asked already but...I heard that, if a patient or anyone assault's an EMT, that is considered a felony. or does every state, county have different rules. I'm in Los Angeles.

 

[marineman]

depends on the state. In WI it is a felony as we're considered public servants or something like that. Essentially for that particular law here we're grouped into the same batch as LEO's

 

[Sapphyre]

Zephers, depends on the state.

In Cal, we're lumped in with LEOs, however it's not automatically a felony. To be a felony, it'd have to be a felony against a lay person as well. If we ARE assaulted on duty, and charges are pressed, and they're convicted, the fine/jail time on misdemeanor assault is doubled....

/me looked it up a while back, after the first time she was nearly struck by a patient

 

[NolaRabbit]

This is the best I could find on Louisiana's books online:

§327. Obstructing a fireman

A.(1) It shall be unlawful for any person intentionally to obstruct any fireman while in the performance of his official duties. Obstructing a fireman is hereby defined as intentionally hindering, delaying, hampering, interfering with, or impeding the progress of any regularly employed member of a fire department of any municipality, parish, or fire protection district of the state of Louisiana, or any volunteer fireman of the state of Louisiana while in the performance of his official duties; or cursing, reviling, or using any opprobrious language directed at any such fireman while in the performance of his official duties.

(2) For the purposes of this Section, "fireman" shall include certified first responders as defined in R.S. 40:1231(9), certified emergency medical technicians as defined in R.S. 40:1231(5), and any firefighter regularly employed by a fire department of any municipality, parish, or fire protection district of the state of Louisiana, or any volunteer fireman of the state of Louisiana.

I'll have to remember this one the next time one of my more impolite patients addresses me in opprobrious language.

 

[flhtci01]

This has been discussed before. In Illinois it is a felony.