
Quoting
Mark47n
Again, small words: No one can force a person who is awake, alert and oriented (AAOx5, who, where and when they are) to submit to medical care, to be transported anywhere in an ambulance - absent a legal complaint such as a DUI and the like - and the fire chief has no say over it at all.
Yes, an unconscious person is by definition not AAOx5 and, absent a clear and legal expression of their wishes, such as accepted notice of an active DNR, will be stabilized and transported to a hospital where they will be subject to care per the doctor's judgement and responsible for the cost.
There is no contradiction anywhere in there. The operative part of the concept is the AAOx5 and clearly expressed medical needs/preferences/etc in the event that you are not AAOx5.
As for who controls what: Cops control cop stuff and firefighters control fire stuff. Pretty simple and straight forward. If the incident is large enough then there will be an incident commander who controls the whole thing, who may not be a cop or firefighter but CANNOT MAKE ME ACCEPT MEDICAL CARE OR TRANSPORT ME WITHOUT MY CONSENT IF I'M AAOX5!
Even if I'm a prisoner in a maximum security facility I cannot be forced to accept medical care as long I'm AAOx5.
Are you getting it, yet? It's a simple concept. It's my body, I'm in control of what I put in it, who touches me, what medical care I receive, et al. I cannot be compelled, under typical circumstances, to do anything with it that I'm unwilling to do. To be forced is called assault or worse.
I find myself saying AAOx5 many times in this thread. I've not said it since my DWEMT/SAR days. I guess that would mean that I do know a bit about this, huh?