Making it hard for the EMTs

Well, it certainly is getting difficult to help someone in an emergency these days. Besides getting the cold shoulder from paint sniffers, now emergency workers need to watch out for angry people at home, even when they are the ones calling 911.

Around midnight Sunday, EMS was called to an apartment complex at the 10000 block of Sahara to help an elderly man. After checking the man out, EMS told him his oxygen levels were low, and they said he needed to go to the hospital for further medical assistance.

But according to police, the man became upset and refused to go to the hospital. While paramedics argued their case, the man pulled out a pistol.

So the paramedics left and called police. A SWAT team -- with police backup -- surrounded the house.

(from KENS-5)

The guy eventually surrendered and got the help he needed.

By the way, this story weirdly says that the SWAT team showed up "with police backup." I may be wrong, but aren't the SWAT guys the actual "backup?" Wouldn't the regular police have responded first and then called for SWAT?

I'm genuinely curious.