Bill would give Md. firefighters, EMTs right to bear arms

Firefighters and paramedics should be permitted to carry handguns without having to individually prove to the Maryland State Police they have a “good and substantial reason” to possess the weapons because they face a personal threat, first responders and a gun rights advocate told a Senate panel Wednesday. “We should not actually have to suffer an attack or prove actual documented threats in order to secure a (handgun) permit for our own personal protection,” said Kim Tull, an Ocean City firefighter and paramedic. “I believe this is a reasonable request given the potential harm that we face to protect and serve our communities.”