The City of Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) is concerned by the spate of attacks on paramedics, firefighters and damage to emergency vehicles.
According to William Ntladi, DEMS spokesperson, on Friday night an ambulance was ambushed and a window shattered in Ramaphosa informal settlement with a patient on board while proceeding to Tambo Memorial Hospital.
He said no casualties were recorded as a result.
“On Sunday, July 7, a paramedic was strangled by a patient while attending to him in an ambulance in Reiger Park,” said Ntladi.
“He managed to free himself and jumped out of the ambulance. The alleged patient and his accomplices followed the crew with one attacker wielding a knife.
“They stoned the ambulance and a window was broken. The crews managed to escape from the scene without much physical harm.”
Both cases were reported to the police and are still subject of investigations.
In another incident, a paramedic had to be hospitalised after an attack in Tokoza
Ntladi said a member of the community, who was among a group of about 50 people in Empilisweni informal settlement in Tokoza, attacked a paramedic just before entering a response vehicle.
This is after he declared a patient dead on Friday, July 5. The paramedic was rushed to Tokoza police station to report the matter, after which he was then taken to Union Hospital for medical check-up and discharged on the same day.
“The City of Ekurhuleni is pleading with the public not to attack emergency personnel and isolate elements that instigate attacks on emergency personnel and vehicles,” said Ntladi.
“An emergency vehicle that is decommissioned due to damages may take a long period before it is returned to service, and that might affect member of the community who may need emergency services during such period.”
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