Baltimore Paramedics face increasing attacks

[makattak]

http://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/baltimores-fire-union-president-medics-being-attacked-at-startling-rate-need-protection

Now, the article says that the paramedics are asking for equipment and training because of 13 attacks in 24 months. (Wait... less than 1 attack every 2 months is a "startling rate"? At least that says something of how safe the job is, given where they operate.)

In any case, there was a line in there that the reporter didn't seem to notice that might explain what is going on:

Hoffman says more and more, medics are reaching scenes prior to the arrival of police.

Hmmm, second-order effects of making police officers afraid to do their jobs lest they face politically motivated prosecution? That now leads to paramedics being afraid to do their jobs.

I wonder what further effects a politically motivated witch hunt against officers will have? (This is, of course, after the increased murder and crime rates where this has occurred.)

[Jamisjockey]

1 attack every 2 months...


What's funny about police is that most of their injuries and fatalities are sustained in traffic incidents.
The most dangerous thing for them to do is get out of their car on the side of the road.

[Fly320s]

To me, this line:

Hoffman says more and more, medics are reaching scenes prior to the arrival of police.

says that since police are late to the scene for paramedics, imagine how late they will be when Joe Citizen is getting attacked.

Also, since the police can't/won't be there, the paramedics want their own protection.  Where have I heard that argument before?

[Scout26]

1 attack every 2 months...


What's funny about police is that most of their injuries and fatalities are sustained in traffic incidents.
The most dangerous thing for them to do is get out of their car on the side of the road.

I'm pretty sure the standard for attacks on Paramedics is *Zero*.   Hell, even the Nazis and/or Wehrmacht didn't shoot at Medics.

[AmbulanceDriver]

Thankfully this is not something we're dealing with in Portland....  yet.... 

We're pretty rigorous though about *NOT* going into a potentially unsafe scene until PPB is there and secures it.

[Perd Hapley]

On a sorta-related note, two gas company employees were shot to death, while on the job in St Louis about three weeks ago.

That kind of thing is why, when I recently went into outside sales for my company, one of the first things I did was to go out and buy a smaller, more concealable gun that I could wear while I'm out and about, working.

[HankB]

There's an old saying - call an ambulance, call a cop, call for a pizza; see which one arrives first. It seems that in Baltimore, we have at least part of the answer.

I'm pretty sure the standard for attacks on Paramedics is *Zero*.   Hell, even the Nazis and/or Wehrmacht didn't shoot at Medics.

IIRC, in Detroit several decades ago when there was a spate of arsons, fire trucks were being shot up.

When the firemen refused to answer calls in some neighborhoods without police escort, an idiot judge ORDERED them to.

Their response was short and to the point: "No."  Incoming fire trumped a court order.

All this says something about the denizens of Detroit's 'hoods back then, and Baltimore's today.