Legal Aspects of Emergency Services

"Legal Aspects of Emergency Services is designed to provide responders with some basic legal knowledge so that, when faced with a legal quandary, they may remember the core principles discussed throughout this book and recognize the need to seek qualified legal advice. The law affects everything responders do in their daily activity, especially when functioning as an agent of a fire or EMS department. Fire fighters are calculated risk takers. They risk a lot to save a lot, and conversely risk nothing to save nothing, and they often find themselves operating within the gray area of those two extremes. Having an understanding of the law as it applies in different situations allows the prudent fire fighter, EMT, supervisor, manager or officer to manage legal exposure. There are times when it may be necessary to assume greater legal risk because it is the right thing to do. There are other times when a legal risk is not worth any potential benefit. As a result, it is important for those in fire and EMS disciplines to have a passing knowledge of the law and how it affects them in their profession"--