Related: Reports of staff Choked
- ESCAPING VIOLENT ENCOUNTERS- Assessment L for EMS1 (VIDEO)
- Escaping Violent Encounters- The Parry (Video)
- Escaping Violent Encounters- Bent Arm Check (Video)
Using defensive tactics developed specifically for first responders, EMS1 columnist Kip Teitsort demonstrates how to escape from a two-handed choke hold.
Watching just a short clip a person cannot obtain the entire understanding of self-defense for use on-the-job. This clip serves as an opportunity for discussion and research into the problem that is violence in emergency medicine.
As stated during the clip, a provider made several mistakes in order to be placed in a position requiring a “technique”. There must have been a breakdown in the application of safety “tactics”.
The reason this particular “technique” is used in DT4EMS’ EVE course is:
1) A confused patient can grab a provider in this manner- treating a true medical patient like and attacker may have serious legal consequences
2) A drunk/drugged attacker can grab a provider in this manner
3) A technique like this works to escape either patient or attacker and allows a ” moment in time” for the provider to realize the difference.
3) Prevention and/or escape is the goal of an on-the-job violent encounter
4) Finishing/Submitting/Controlling is not self-defense
So you see, in medicine the “technique” selected has purpose for what we face on-the-job. In medicine we are unique. No other profession or person has to make a split second decision between a true patient or an attacker.
The use of any self-defense technique require we be “reasonable” in our actions. Certain destroy-kill-win techniques would not be considered “reasonable” against certain persons (i.e. medical patient, person significantly smaller than the provider, a person much older/weaker than the provider etc.)
You can also view the Escaping violent encounters: How to break a 2-handed choke hold video at EMS1.com