ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Headed down Prince Philip Drive last Thursday evening, with their ambulance siren and lights activated, two paramedics were focused on the task at hand: making it to the source of a 911 call quickly and safely.
The sudden smash of a brick smashing into the front windshield stopped them in their tracks, leaving them shaken but uninjured. But it meant another ambulance needed to be dispatched to respond to the emergency call.
Eastern Health says it is working with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary in its investigation to catch the person responsible for the senseless crime, which could easily have had much more devastating consequences.
Police have not yet made any arrests.
“This incident is disturbing and had the potential to seriously injure both employees and members of the public,” Eastern Health told The Telegram in an email Tuesday.
Not only did the crime hinder the ambulance in an emergency situation, the paramedics could have been seriously injured or a traffic accident could have happened, adds Jerry Earle, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees (NAPE), which represents paramedics in this province.
“It jeopardized the paramedic crew and it jeopardized the call response. It could have been a child choking or a situation of cardiac arrest,” said Earle, a former paramedic. “Any delay is significant in a situation where every second counts.”
Earle said he’s at a loss to comprehend why someone would lob a brick into the windshield of an ambulance clearly in an emergency situation, calling it a senseless, random act. The paramedics involved are still shaken by the crime, he said.
“It jeopardized the paramedic crew and it jeopardized the call response. It could have been a child choking or a situation of cardiac arrest."
He said it’s the latest example of an increase in incidents of violence and harassment against first responders. Paramedics have arrived at emergency scenes and been abused, and social workers, personal care attendants and licensed practical nurses have experienced violence. In some cases, it’s been at the hands of patients who don’t have the ability to understand the consequences of their actions, but in others, the abuse has been perpetrated by upset family members and others who know the difference, said Earle.
“We’ve even had a snowplow operator confronted for doing their job,” Earle said.
Depending on their job, some NAPE members — such as social workers or those in corrections — are trained in de-escalation and other crisis-situation techniques. According to union surveys, its members across the board are experiencing an increase in violent incidents.
“This shouldn’t be happening and it’s concerning,” Earle said. “No matter who you are or where you work, you deserve to have a safe workplace.”
Eastern Health said it won’t stand for abusive behaviour of any kind toward its employees.
“(We are) committed to creating and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace where all individuals are respected,” a spokeswoman said.
The RNC is asking anyone with any information or video footage that may assist with the investigation into Thursday’s crime against the paramedics to call police at 729-8000 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
Tara Bradbury reports on justice and the courts in St. John’s.
