This footage shows just one of the many violent outbreaks South Australian ambulance officers are fighting on the job, while trying to save lives.
And the number of incidents is only increasing in the state, with over 125 incidents occurring just this financial year.
Ambulance officers in South Australia have experienced a 74 per cent rise in attacks while on the job over the past three years, prompting the state government to run a new campaign raising awareness about health workers’ protection and reminding the state – along with the nation – ambulance officers “can’t fight for your mate’s life if they’re fighting for their own.”
The rise in violent attacks on ambulance officers could be related to the increased use of the drug ice around the nation, which a federal government campaign and the National Ice Task Force is tackling.
Jordan Pring – who appears in the latest campaign for health workers – said he was excited to play a part in highlighting the violence paramedics face.
“This is something that happens, I think it’s safe to say, on a weekly basis to ambos,” he told the ABC.
“Violence and aggression towards anyone working in a hospital, health service or in an ambulance is unacceptable and it’s time people get the message that it will not be tolerated,” SA Health Minister Jack Snelling said of the campaign.
“This new campaign emphasises that every interruption an ambo has to deal with prevents them from helping save someone’s life and that life might be yours.”
