A NSW Ambulance Inspector is sick of officers being used as "punching bags" after the tally of paramedics assaulted whilst on the job has risen to three in one week.
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Illawarra Inspector Norm Rees said assaults on paramedics was not good enough and it had to stop.
Inspector Rees condemned the alleged actions of a 39-year-old male patient, who was believed to be intoxicated, when he attacked two paramedics on Saturday night in Nowra.
Ambulance officers were tasked to a home on Queenborough Street to treat the man who was 'fitting', 'freaking out', 'highly agitated' and 'verbally abusive'.
We are there to help people and they think it is okay to thump us.
- Inspector Norm Rees
The patient was also described as being 'highly unpredictable' by family members.
Inspector Rees said police also attended the home and the patient was initially compliant but allegedly assaulted paramedics when he was being transported to hospital.
A NSW Police spokesman said the patient became aggressive and assaulted a 43-year-old male paramedic in the back of the ambulance, before a 48-year-old male paramedic driving the ambulance stopped and went to the rear to help.
The Mercury understands the patient allegedly threatened to kill the paramedics and throw a defibrillator at them.
The patient then allegedly grabbed scissors, had to be wrestled to the floor and injured the paramedics with punches and kicks.
Police attended and restrained the man before he was taken to hospital.
Inspector Rees said no one deserved to be bashed, especially while they were at work.
"We are there to help people and they think it is okay to thump us," he said.
"Officers used to be able to pull up and leave the keys in the car but now we have to lock up the car because people will pinch the drugs. It is not good."
Mr Rees praised the actions of NSW Ambulance for putting the safety of officers first and had put in place measures such as portable radios with enhanced duress capability and mandatory training.
"Ambulance NSW takes the safety of officers seriously," he said. "But that doesn't really help us at 3am when someone is trying to bash us."
A NSW Ambulance spokesman said paramedics had the support of the Minister and NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan to not enter a scene, or to withdraw from a scene where the situation was unsafe.
"Safety initiatives announced in May last year include mandatory face-to-face occupational violence prevention training for paramedics in de-escalating violent situations under a $3.3 million package aimed at improving their job safety," he said.
"NSW Ambulance has well established procedures for paramedics, operating as a single officer response, or as part of a paramedic crew, to stand off or retreat from an incident scene if there is a threat to paramedic safety."
Earlier this week, police will allege a 57-year-old was being treated by paramedics on the Princes Highway at Fairy Meadow about 6pm when she lashed out and grabbed a male paramedic around the throat.
That came two days after a female ambulance officer was punched in the face by an intoxicated man while on the job in Wollongong on Tuesday night.
Inspector Rees said he did not believe the assaults would deter officers from their work.
"I love my job and 95 per cent of my colleagues think the same way," he said. "Most people we talk to are disgusted with the assaults."
The patient was released from hospital on Sunday and was arrested and taken to Nowra Police Station where he was charged with two counts of intimidation and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He will appear at Nowra Local Court on Monday.