Daily London
Ambulance crews have reported being rammed by a car, repeatedly punched in the face, and swung at with a cricket bat, in what Ambulance Victoria says are increasing dangers.
Paramedic Luke Harrington said he was on the job on December 22 when he was ambushed by a member of the public who became violent.
“He started striking the ambulance and then swearing at us, and then that’s when he escalated, and he got right up to my face and spat on my neck,” Harrington said.
Paramedics say the risk of violence on the job is so serious that they’ve been advised to refuse treatment to anyone who displays and such behaviour.
“It’s the worst I’ve ever seen it in 30 years of emergency work,” Ambulance Victoria Metropolitan Director of Regional and Clinical Operations Vanessa Gorman said.
“It’s probably worse in regards to the severity of what is occurring.”
Ambulance Victoria is now urging the public to respect frontline workers.
“We stand here united to say this is not okay and it has to stop,” Ambulance Victoria Metropolitan Director of Regional and Clinical Operations Andrew Burns said.
“Even over the last four days whilst everyone’s enjoying Christmas, our staff have endured ridiculous levels of both verbal assault through the use of revolting language and verbal intimidation, through to physical contact in both sexual assault and physical assault.”
