Violence against Griffith's paramedics "never acceptable"

In 2016 there were a frightening 24 recorded assaults against South West NSW’s ambulance staff, while working in what for many patients would have been a life or death scenario.

It is something Griffith’s Inspector Andrew Long never dreamed he would have to deal with when training for his “dream job” as a paramedic.

“It never crossed my mind,” he said on Thursday.

“It is never acceptable, but it does happen.”

While Inspector Long said the spontaneity of paramedic’s jobs made for interesting and rewarding work, he said it also meant they couldn’t predict the kind of situations they would be going into.

“We turn up to jobs not knowing what is going to happen,” he said.

“If it sounds suspicious or if we are told by the operator there is a potentially violent situation then we will make every effort to wait until police arrive.”

But while training and the opportunity to call for back up are in place to protect the region’s paramedics, it is still bewildering for many that those measures are necessary at all to protect individuals who have dedicated their lives to saving others.

“You never expect to go to a scene where people have requested your help and be subjected to verbal or physical attacks,” Inspector Long said.

“It is unhelpful and distracting when we are trying to help someone to have to also deal with that.”

“The variety and importance of our work is excellent and it makes you want to come to work, but I don’t want any of my paramedics to be injured or hurt.”

Inspector Long thanked those who had generously supported the city’s paramedics over the years.

“Griffith is a great community and the majority of people are thankful for the work we do,” he said.