In the early days—around 2014 before there were thousands of registered medics in every major city—the company was still called Texas Set Medics. As demand began to grow beyond state lines, it eventually evolved into what is now National Set Medics. Back then, it was just a handful of us, and I was working every job I could.
This one photo I posted on Facebook unexpectedly changed everything. It drew thousands of medics to sign up and sparked a wave of comments—everything from “Why does a medic need a rifle?” to my personal favorite: “Nice fanny pack!” (Hey, it was all the rage back then.)
That photo came from a very low-budget production I was called to work on in Texas. They were planning live fire scenes on a ranch and wanted a medic. When I arrived, I quickly realized there was no armorer and no stunt coordinator on set.
That was a problem.
With my background as a SAG stuntman with extensive firearm experience, I stepped in. I knew they weren’t going to hire the proper personnel, and I wasn’t about to leave the cast and crew exposed to that level of risk.
It turned out to be the right call.
I secured all firearms and ammunition in my vehicle, carefully accounting for every round. Not long after, a ranch hand drove up with a case of beer—which immediately got locked up as well.
That was a hard no.
At one point, there were jokes about “accidentally” shooting a GoPro downrange during a take. I stepped in and made it clear to the talent:
“I know it’s tempting, but if you shoot that camera, I’m shutting this down.”
Then I added, “If you don’t think you can hit the target, I will.”
He took the shot—and hit the intended target dead on.
Today, we still combine medical expertise with firearm safety but only in our Reality Medic division. These are highly trained paramedics equipped for remote environments, often supporting productions like Naked and Afraid. The difference now is structure, training, and proper oversight.
Some things, however, haven’t changed.
Still no beer on set.
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