Emergency Room Carry?

[Rrash]

About two months ago, my wife, 2 year old daughter, and I took the DART train downtown to see the Dallas World Aquarium. On the way back, we had lunch in the West End, and my daughter decided to jump out of our booth and hit her head pretty good on the floor. It happened so fast, my wife and I couldn't react to catch or slow down her fall. Everything turned out fine in the end, but she did have a mild concussion.

Here is my question: We were in a situation where we strongly had to consider calling for an ambulance or catching a cab to Children Medical Center's ER, which is posted 30.06. What would you do with your weapon in an emergency situation, where there was no place to safely disarm?

I thought about this today as I was thinking about the situation. I would love to find an LEO who could babysit our pistols, but I think that is kind of unlikely to find someone willing to do you that favor. Besides, how do you bring up that conversation anyway? I know for me, I would not wait outside while my wife and child went in alone. At best, I could call a friend and have him meet me up there, but honestly, I think I would stay concealed and deal with the fallout later.

I know there is debate on the legality of the 30.06 sign, but I would respect their posting under normal circumstances either way.

[AEA]

Deleted

[AustinBoy]

They took the train.

No car.

AB

[Teamless]

As you were on the train, and had no vehicle, I would have made darn sure I was concealed and would have broken the law and gone in there.
However, if by chance, you were no longer with the train, but had a vehicle, then you need to leave it in your vehicle.

[AEA]

Sorry,, missed that.

[nyj]

Sorry,, missed that.

Wanna take your eye rolling back?

[AEA]

Deleted

[Keith B]

OK, knock it off.

[SATX-Scrub]

We actually have a fairly liberal policy on guns at our Hospital. If you're coming in by ambulance, the security guards can check the weapon for you and return it upon departure. We understand that stuff happens and you can't properly store it, and we've never called the LEOs when 'law abiding' citizens want to turn the weapon in for the duration of their stay. That being said, glad your daughter is fine!

[77346]

Rash,

That's a good scenario and a good question. I think it's all about planning... I don't use mass transport in Houston, but if I did, I would have to think very hard about what to do if I am in need to disarm while away from my vehicle. I would need to decide between not carrying or driving myself.

In a real emergency (i.e. child injured, you're in the ambulance and emergency room carrying your weapon) I would probably just have kept it concealed and try to dispose of it as soon as possible... for example, if a relative or friend is coming to the hospital, then leave it at their car, with their permission, when they arrive.

[ffemt300]

We actually have a fairly liberal policy on guns at our Hospital. If you're coming in by ambulance, the security guards can check the weapon for you and return it upon departure. We understand that stuff happens and you can't properly store it, and we've never called the LEOs when 'law abiding' citizens want to turn the weapon in for the duration of their stay. That being said, glad your daughter is fine!

Good stuff. I wish all hospitals were that nice.

[flechero]

We actually have a fairly liberal policy on guns at our Hospital. If you're coming in by ambulance, the security guards can check the weapon for you and return it upon departure. We understand that stuff happens and you can't properly store it, and we've never called the LEOs when 'law abiding' citizens want to turn the weapon in for the duration of their stay. That being said, glad your daughter is fine!

I have seen similar posts in the past and wondered is it was "all" hospitals or just a few here and there. All should be this way!

[baldeagle]

We've been making a lot of trips downtown to UT Southwestern lately. (My wife has some medical issues.) Every time we go I have to stop before I get to the parking attendants, disarm and lock the gun and magazine up before pulling up. It never even crossed my mind that I might end up in a situation where I didn't have that opportunity. I had thought of what to do in an emergency situation. I think the best you can do is inform police or security on the scene and let them decide what to do about it. But you've made me think of an entirely different situation than I'd ever encountered. Thanks for that. Semper vigilans, semper cogitatio

[Keith B]

If you are the patient and go into the hospital unconscious, then you are not going to see the sign and have not received effective notice to leave, so you have not broken any law.

If you are going in under the scenario listed above by the OP, I would go on in and deal with the situation as it may take precedence over the gun issue. If you have to stay and can't get someone to come by and retrieve the weapon from you, then I would nicely contact security and tell them you had to come in FOR AN EMERGENCY, you are a CHL, have no place to store your weapon, and ask them how THEY want you to handle the situation. I doubt very seriously that they are going to require you to leave. They more than likely will ask you to lock it up in their care and retrieve it on your exit. If they decide to be jerks about it, and call the police, then you may have to deal with it in court, but I really doubt they will go to that extreme.