EMT/Paramedic Carrying Auto in Illinois legal or No?

T

TacticalBlade

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Hey Guys,

I got a cousin of mine who is looking to carry a full serrated auto as a rescue knife as an EMT/Paramedic. After warning him against it, Have told him i will ask you guys. I am a firefighter/paramedic that carries a ZT0301, or umnumzaan and have tried to explain with practice/experience, a simple folder is much more reliable and easier to clean etc.

Can EMT/Paramedics carry Auto's in Illinois?

Thanks
 
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I'm sure someone from Illinois that is MUCH more qualified than I will be along, but from everything I could find in a quick online search and review of the laws that cover auto's (that I could find), there is no exception listed for EMT's or Paramedics (nor is there one for anyone in the laws I found).

That said, you are absolutely right. Auto's can and do fail. A manual doesn't. I got wrapped up in needing (read wanting) an auto to carry on duty...primarily because I could...for all of about a week, and went right back to a manual. They're more reliable and every bit as fast if not faster. Tell him to get a Spyderco Rescue or Assist. That's what I would go with in his situation.
 
I think i've sold him on my spyderco breeden rescue. I always carry a manual folder or a ZT-301 which is assisted with the flipper. I always use 1 of 3 knives at work and it just comes natural. Now if ZT made a rescue knife with the ZT 301 handle and blade length with a spyderco combination rescue blade, I would only ever carry 1 knife. I can dream right?
 
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Being new here..I hope its ok to join in with a little input.
As far as the legality of carrying am auto knife...I would only worry about what the guy who writes your pay check thinks.
As far as getting in law trouble for carrying...., I will tell you what I and every cop I ever knew always thought....medics are there to keep us alive, and do stand beside us during a lot of scary stuff....I do believe you have earned the right to carry whatever you feel will benifit you the most.
 
My question is: Why the need for an auto? There is a boat load of one-hand openers of good quality out there to choose from. I've been a Professional Firefighter/EMT-B for a little over 10 years now and never really felt the need to have an auto. I am a knife nut and carry several knives in and on my gear for different jobs. I have had to cut seat belts and wires as well as some sheet metal in a hurry and never felt like I needed and auto to save a split second.

Other than the "cool" factor of an auto, I dont think they are practical to doing the job. One has the remember that in times of stress when you are dealing with a patient that is already scared and nervous the last thing they want to hear is your knife snapping into action close to them. Sheeple scare easy. Although the guys on your rig may think its a cool knife a good pair of rescue scissors will get just about any job done with out alarming the patient. Besides a good assisted opener is just as fast and you don't have to worry about the local laws and your liability. Just my two cents but it sounds like he is trying to justify a reason to carry a switchblade. But to each his own, live and let live. Not a judgement just an observation.
 
As I said before. I think auto's are unreliable. Plus, I prefer something with a dull tip. Most autos are made to be carried by soldiers. They have little more than 1 purpose. I agree on the alarming. plus, the reason people claim to prefer autos is the speed. If you reach into a pocket or a kit and pull out an auto to cut someone free of whatever they may be entangled in, the time it takes you to retreive the knife from its "Storage location" is the longer period of time than it takes to actually flick it open.
 
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