There has always been some violence in EMS, but the levels are much higher today than during my active years.
Back in the early days of what I call modern EMS in Sorta Big City it wasn’t unusual for EMTs to have to respond to calls without the police. The police weren’t dispatched to all ambulance calls, but certain call types and locations were supposed to get the police. Sometimes no police were available and some times they were dispatched, but somehow just didn’t manage to get to the scene until after the ambulance arrived.
During that time period just about every EMT on the night shift carried a gun. That, of course, we strictly against the rules, but people did it anyway since they couldn’t rely on a police response. To my knowledge no one ever fired there gun, but there were rumors. In at least a few instances guns were drawn and “suggestions” were made.
As EMS progressed that became less necessary since the police also progressed and were more vigilant in the responses.
Still, there were times when a violent patient had to be restrained and other times when a family member decided that attacking the people trying to help their loved one was a viable way to improve patient care.
Over the years most of us became more adept at defusing a situation by talking the patient down, but of course that didn’t always work.
In the years since I retired, I’ve noticed both in the news and from talking with still active former co workers that patients have turned more violent. That became even more prevalent from mid 2020 on as various nitwits decided that attacking anyone in uniform was okay. Fire fighters have also seen an increase in attacks.
It’s a hopefully temporary devolution of American society. If it’s permanent we are a really screwed as a country.
Which brings me to the end of last week. An EMS supervisor working for the New York City Fire Department EMS service was stabbed to death.
Lt. Alison Russo-Elling who was a 61 year old EMS supervisor was stabbed to death while walking down the street to get some food. The attack was unprovoked and the suspect arrested for the murder was not part of the call and had never seen Lt. Russo-Elling.
Just another crazy homeless person in New York City, which is full of homeless people many with mental health issues.
We were taught to be wary when dealing with homeless people. Many of them have some combination of having served prison terms, have drug abuse problems, and mental illness. Some have all three. One of the first things we always did was check the patient for weapons. Not really our job, but if the police weren’t there it was a prudent precaution.
I collected enough steak knives to start my own restaurant. For some reason the homeless in Sorta Big City favored steak knives. Maybe the stole them from restaurants, I don’t know.
Here is the story from Fox News,
Lots of high ranking city officials have said a lot of things about this, but what will really matter is how seriously they take not only this kind of violence, but the unprosecuted violence increasingly seen in cities all over the country.
Unless something is done, this is just going to get worse and no one will be safe from attack.
This is not the first New York City EMT to be killed in the line of duty,
FDNY EMT KILLED BY AMBULANCE HIJACKER REMEMBERED, MOURNED BY THOUSANDS
There are others as well, but that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable. Quite the contrary, but as long as city leaders tolerate it they will continue to happen.
Words are easy, action is hard.