The drunk guy is drunk again — or is he?

Steve Whitehead and Dr. David Tan discuss the EMS response to a patient who is allegedly drunk and has been seen by providers many times in the past

February 17, 2025 03:54 PM •

Steve Whitehead, Dr. David K. Tan, MD, EMT-T, FAEMS

Steve Whitehead and Dr. David Tan discuss a possible response to a call for a drunk man that EMS has responded to many times before. But this time you notice the left side of his face is drooping and you think there may be more going on, but your partner dismisses the idea. What would you do?

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Arthur Hsieh, MA, NRP

This video was originally published in April 2015; it has been updated.

Steve Whitehead

Steve Whitehead, NREMT-P, is a firefighter/paramedic with the South Metro Fire Rescue Authority in Colorado. He is a primary instructor for South Metro’s EMT program and a lifelong student of emergency medicine. Steve is the host of the One for the Road video training series.

Dr. David K. Tan, MD, EMT-T, FAEMS

David K. Tan, MD, EMT-T, FAEMS, is associate professor and chief of EMS in the division of emergency medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He is double board-certified in Emergency Medicine and EMS Medicine by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Tan remains very active in EMS at the local, state and national levels as an operational medical director for local police, fire and EMS agencies. He is chairman of the Metropolitan St. Louis Emergency Transport Oversight Commission, vice-chairman of the Missouri State Advisory Council on EMS, and president of the National Association of EMS Physicians. Dr. Tan is a member of the EMS1 Editorial Advisory Board. He also provides medical direction to EMS1.com and the EMS1 Academy.