Sunday, June 18, 2017

Conversation with a Disarmed Health Pro at Yuma Regional Medical Center


I struck up a conversation with a health care professional. The subject turned to active shooters and the vulnerability of Yuma Regional Medical Center (YMRC).

We were in the Yuma Regional Medical Center outpatient clinic. I was getting prepped for my daily dose of high powered intravenous antibiotic. The health care professional did a good job, and I complemented her. She said she had a lot of practice.  I agreed that performance on nearly everything improves with practice, but some people are just naturals at some tasks.

I gave the example of a young man I took dove hunting. With very little practice, he was hitting as well as I was after 50 years of wing shooting.  He is a natural.

The health care professional replied.  She had been to the range recently, and she could make head shots with her .380 Smith and Wesson.  Then she complained about the restrictive anti-self defense policy of YRMC. She wished that she could have her pistol with her at work, but she was forbidden to do so by corporate policy. She said:
"If there was an active shooter here, we would be sitting ducks. Maybe we could run and hide, but we have patients that cannot."

"If I had my pistol, they would not get by me."
We talked a little more about her pistol, magazine capacity, weight, and triggers.

The conversation was unsolicited.  I do not wish to get this dedicated professional into trouble.  Retaliation is not unknown in such situations, even for such innocuous things as casual conversation about corporate policy. Maybe more so for a non-profit.

My observation is that many health care professionals are competent with firearms. It follows from their enhanced desire to help people. They do not want the patients in their care to be undefended.

If you are wondering what the high-powered antibiotics are all about, it is pneumonia. It is likely the reason my writing production has been down for 10 months.

One bit of good news: My doctor says the pneumonia was masked by my overall excellent aerobic capacity.  She said if I weren't so healthy, I would have been in the hospital months ago.

It should be cleared up before I head off to Australia.  I will be writing about Australian gun culture while I am there.


©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dean with the state of Aussie gun laws I would not go near there on a bet. they are having Islamist problems like everywhere else.

Anonymous said...

I have an Aussie email friend that is dabbling in politics. Most of the Aussies are demanding their gun rights back. once government takes a right a way it takes years to get it back. Look at the knife issue. Push buttons outlawed in the 50s and 60s because of a movie and we are still trying to get knife rights back, nearly 70 years later. No one is required to like or even own a weapon of any kind and nobody has the right or the authority to deny you the right to like them, use them, own them , or collect them. we have laws to prosecute those that cant be civil with the weapon . their behavior may be wrong but the weapon has nothing to do with. weapons don't think people do. make the wrong choice take the wrong action and you pay for it. if it was the weapons fault our prisons would be full of weapons not people. a weapon gets no choice in who picks it up. they are trying to design thinking weapons but that will not last. My weapon gets broke or malfunctions You are injured and can not use your weapon and I cant use your weapon because it does not know me. then we both lose.

Anonymous said...

May G-D Bless you with a speedy and complete recovery.

One of the issues of my loins resides in Sydney, and on a visit back home a year or so ago, she asked me to teach her the basics of combat hand-gunning...in two weeks time. Chose a .45acp 1911 variant, figuring that mastery of that is mastery of just about all.
Worked hard with her, and was astonished, and pleased at her progress. Most of all the complete absorption of proper mind set..."This ain't no game. IF YOU SHOOT, SHOOT TO KILL! IF YOU ARE NOT RIGHT TO KILL, YOU ARE NOT RIGHT TO SHOOT". "FOCUS, and SHOOT QUICK, IF THERE'S TIME TO AIM, YOU"RE NOT REALLY IN DEEP DOO DOO. YET!" "ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE OTHER THREATS.""WHEN IT'S OVER GO THROUGH THEIR POCKETS FOR LOOSE CHANGE AND SUCH."
Just the basics. When I asked why she wanted familiarization, considering Australia's draconian gun laws, she said "Hey, you never know what can happen. When I get my hands on a gun, I need to know how to use it. Right?" "Right."
Have a safe trip...it's a long one. Make sure you get up and walk around.
Keep the Faith.

Anonymous said...

Robbing the dead is a crime keep your hands out of their pockets, don't touch them. If you shot them once you can always shoot them again. eventually they get the idea moving is painful, they stop moving or stop felling pain.