Talking Point: "I am a First Responder".

Status
Not open for further replies.
BTW, as a CCW holder I have more standing in law (a license) than a volunteer firefighter ...
Click to expand...

That's not actually true, at least not in Washington state (and, I presume but have not studied, in other states as well).

In WA, if you want to be a volunteer firefighter, you have to meet a boatload of legal requirements and get a handful of certifications. I know this because four of my immediate family members are volunteers for our rural fire district. The state keeps adding to the requirements, and every time it does, the district loses a few more volunteers. You'd almost think the goal was to get rid of all volunteers and make all firefighters union-dues-paying employees or something.

pax
 
MLeake I think they would call you a "good samaritan"

Willie I don't think we really need a name for ourselves, we just need to keep doing what we can do trained or not trained.
 
I think the proper word remains "Citizen"

Until degraded to today's level of "protected entitlement consumer" it was once the most sublime of all words.

It can be again....
 
Our 'First Responders', our LEO are nothing more than civilians paid to do full time what we do given the chance. If the idea that this 'advanced training' is what gives them the title, then I would love to go take the training.

They should have no more powers, they should have no more rights. Even when it comes to arrest.

We did not create an 'us versus them'. They did. By their own actions. By placing themselves above us 'civilians'.
 
I don't think first responder is a correct term...

Typically here, those folks who witness an accident, or crime, are called "initial responder(s)" since they just acted on what they just initially witnessed, each from his/her own perspective, and with his/own level of training/experience do something of some level to respond and give aid. This could be any number of people... Its the group that is there, and either choose to, or not to, intervene. I repeatedly have known these people to also be called "good Samaritan)s)" also.

A first responder here, is one who is tasked with being in the group of the first units dispatched to an incident. Secondary response are those second dispatched, etc, going in to the mutual aid and availability for the needed response.

I am confused on the need for a term to win the public opinion over, instead of solidarity and proper actions...

Willie Sutton said:
Stress:

First Response

Service to Others

Training

Volunteerism

Good Citizenship

What you do for them

etc.
Click to expand...

This is a start to a long slippery slope, at least in my mind... The ones that stick out to me the most.

Service to others - How is this defined? I know several folks who have a CCW but not give an owl hoot about helping others, and others that are very willing to help others. There is doubtful a way to prove a level of service to others.

Training - If your going to sell a level of training to the general public, their would not only have to be a minimum standard, but also various levels after that which are mutually recognized and accepted. This would be a large issue.

Volunteerism - Same as service to others above.

What you do for them - Ok, how is it going to be proved what a person with a ccw does for them? If someone with a ccw steps in and stops a violent death by shooting the suspect, you may have earned some credibility from the victim, but yet you just lost the family of the suspect.
 
We used to call them Good Samaritans or Conscientious Citizens. I still have no problem with either of those terms myself, as they relate to folks out in public and minding their own business, when they happen upon an emergency and feel compelled to act.
 
"Zero-ith responder"

When part of a national urban search and rescue group, we debated what you call persons who respond before the "real first responders" arrive.
The term "Zero-ith" was coined as they don't have to arrive first as they're already there.
 
I love the concept of concentrating on positive things:

Service to Others

Training

Volunteerism

Good Citizenship

What you do for them
Click to expand...

The world is so angry on this topic right now. It's good to see someone working hard to build bridges rather than walls. Thanks.

pax
 
Hate this topic.

Yes, the police and emergency medical professionals are better equipped and trained.

Until they get to the scene, we're kind of in this together.

911 isn't magic.
 
A first responder here, is one who is tasked with being in the group of the first units dispatched to an incident.
Click to expand...
no. it the generic sense they are the first citizen's there.
In the legal sense ("certified") are people indemnified and specifically do not have to be tasked
 
Corrections Cop said:
First Responders are by law, LEO, EMS, and Fire. They don't want un trained Joe Blow with a CCW in the mix. A first responder is someone trained to give basic life support. Just becuase you have a CCW doesnt mean you are a First Responder, unless you have the training.

Here is Wikipedia's Definition:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_responder
Click to expand...

The link Corrections Cop posted defining First Responders.....refers to "Certified First Responders". There's a lot of us out here that have had first aid, medical, survival, firearm, and other training that can be of service without a certificate of authenticity or license.

The term "First Responder" as the OP pointed out is appropriate.
 
I am perfectly happy with "Good Samaritan."

I also agree with Fishing Cabin, and others, who posit that it's more about actions than about titles.

But the OP has a point, in that we often seem to allow the antis to dictate the language used in the debate, and we should do something about that.
 
Gentlemen:

Ya'll are way too smart for this.

I am working out a way to make our viewpoint of being a CCW holder palatable to Soccer Mom. She thinks a modern sporting rifle is an assault rifle. She thinks that a 15 shot standard-capacity magazine is a large-capacity magazine. She also thinks a first reponder is someone who is there to help her thru the awkward moments when she needs a nanny to take care of her. We want her to like us and to believe that we can serve her interests. So let's use language that she "gets" in order to get her confidence and maybe her vote. She can care less about the 2nd amendment. She will tune out our other talking points. But convince her that we can make HER and HER CHILDREN safer and we win.

This is politics: accuracy is not the point. Let's learn from the opposition, learn to control the language used, and learn to direct some of the propaganda effort our way.


Note that:

I shoot a modern sporting rifle.

My Beretta 92 is fitted with a standard capacity magaine.

And I am a CCW for the same reason that I hold a CPR card, and hold an EMT certificate, and have a fire extinguisher in my car. It's because in the minutes before a full time professional comes to relieve me, I am a first responder who is willing to help society at the same time that I am helping myself.


She understands those words. That's all that counts.


Willie


.
 
Depending on how you look at it; from the British side the First Responders were the Red Coats and from our side the First Responders were the Minute Men.
 
How’s about ( I am your Neighbor ) I have a fire extinguisher , I have CPR card , And I am a owner of firearms How may I help?
 
Longun said:
How’s about ( I am your Neighbor ) I have a fire extinguisher , I have CPR card , And I am a owner of firearms How may I help?
Click to expand...

This is the best reply (I feel) yet. It shouldn't be tied to a 'responder' status or tied to training. It should be tied to I am here, and willing to step in and help.
 
Willie
I got you we took this a very diffrent way that you ment it to go....LOL

Well let that soccor mom know that if her and her child are out shopping and a robber shows up and is trying to get he money or child or both if you have you hand gun with you, (not wanting to use it) you pull it out and scare the robber away with no harm or loss wouldnt that be enough for her. And all you would want in return is a thank you...

I understand what your trying to do... I try to do the same in this wonderful state of NJ but I keep getting thrown to the wolves and they look at me know Im nuts... But Im not giving up. And 3/10 I go for my non resident CCW class. So I will have it but wont do me any good in Jersey.

We do have room in the class if anyone is interested and your in NJ get back to me Ill give you the info.
 
How’s about ( I am your Neighbor ) I have a fire extinguisher , I have CPR card , And I am a owner of firearms How may I help?
Click to expand...
That sounds great to us. I fear the problem lies in social conditioning.

The simple statement that "I'm carrying a pistol" shouldn't be cause for concern absent other alarming factors. It really shouldn't. It should be right up there with "I've got a pocket knife handy" or "I know CPR."

However, that's just not the case. Such a statement is all too often cause for startlement (which is totally a real word, because I just used it. Bug off, spelling filter!) and confusion. How do we reverse that? I don't have an answer.
 
Willie, I think I might of hurt your feelings, especially coming from your backlash on my statement. I am not a cop, and don't claim to be one. I am just posting on your comment. Some people on this board seem to think that because they have a ccw they can do anything they want. I would help them cops out in a minute, sometimes it happens. But when I am asked to leave I would leave. You are never going to change the way some anti 2A people think. Some of those Anti's seem to think that all people with CCW's do is run around and look for trouble and want to play cops. I have my ccw to protect me and my family first. I am not out to single handedly take on the world. People seem to get all up tight when common sense is injected into conversations on this board. Just realize that I disagree with you and leave it at that, thats no reason to get defensive and make comments about police officers and corrections officers.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top