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St John rejects request for stab-proof vests

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Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:58a.m.

Police were issued with new stab-proof vests in 2007 (NZPA)

Police were issued with new stab-proof vests in 2007 (NZPA)

St John Ambulance has refused a request for officers to be issued with stab-proof vests.

The National Distribution Union (NDU) called for better protection for ambulance officers, including stab-proof vests and an end to single-crewing, after a survey found one in four staff were physically assaulted at least once a month.

St John chief executive Jaimes (correct) Wood questioned those statistics, saying it had 850 full time officers and 2500 volunteers, with 46 assaults reported in the last financial year.

NDU statistics would equate to 750 assaults each month.

Canterbury District Health Board yesterday announced security staff at Christchurch and Hillmorton Hospitals would be supplied with stab-proof vests as part of their uniform.

There had been more than 500 assaults on hospital staff in the past year, The Press reported.

Last year's St John figures were down on the 2007-2008 year, when 51 assaults were reported, but was up on every other year since 2003-2004.

Most of the assaults did not involve weapons, Mr Wood said.

St John regularly reviewed the need for stab-proof vests and had decided not to introduce them at this stage, he said.

Ambulance officers should not be placed in situations where the vests were necessary, and wearing them may make officers feel they have to enter risky situations, he said.

There was also no widespread use of stab-proof vests overseas.

However, St John supported the inclusion of frontline health workers in legislation that made attacks on police and prison staff an aggravating factor at sentencing for assaults.

Board chairman Alister James had asked the Government to include frontline health workers in the new sentencing legislation.

Health Minister Tony Ryall said he would pass the idea onto Cabinet.

NZPA

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Comments

29 Sep 2010 01:52a.m.

M wrote:

Senior Advanced Paramedic of 12 years Auckland. Society has changed and lost its respect for others. Bottom line- Verbal abuse towards us has increased dramatically. Physical assaults have increased against ambos where ambos are unlikely to report it unless it is personally seen as serious and that change from individuals. On my station - 10 assaults in preceding 12months in a reasonably affluent society, rocks thrown at my windscreen under lights/siren, been resuscitating patients in a house and told on one occasion if he dies you die and the other if he lives you die. Assaults from woman against male staff knowing it is unlikely that they will get restrained have increased. Paramedics punched as they knock on a front door- Examples of instances could go on and on. Paramedics will always be put in a place of risk as a result of heightened situations they respond to coupled with rise in attending violent situations. The communications room can only go on the information received. The comment of “very few assaults involve weapons” is a weak response. More people carry knives and I respond to more stabbings. Physical assaults will continue. Let’s look at the basics – when people fight they generally aim a blow to the face/head -normally unlikely to kill, normally allows fellow medic/ public person to assist/intervene. If I’m bending over a patient at 2am in the dark and someone stabs me-generally it will be in the back or chest. Likely to be serious and unlikely that medic/public person will intervene as it’s an angry man wielding a knife that’s just stabbed a medic. Violent assaults and stabbings in society have increased, taxi drivers are being stabbed, teachers are being stabbed by children, and the number of children being seriously assaulted by family members has increased. Assaults against ambos have increased to the point that some staff expect it as part of their work environment and fail to report it.

15 Aug 2010 09:25a.m.

Dr wrote:

Yep I agree as a ambo you get pushed shoved abused and what I see is do minimal to protect us and hope it dosnt happen. Not all incident get reported so statistics will not be a good indicator and even if the stats showed there was a need I am afraid the manager would provide stats to show the opposite. Its all about money

10 Aug 2010 03:40p.m.

JD wrote:

It should be a decision made by individual ambo officers, not one made by some manager sitting in his safe and comfortable office in downtown Auckland.