Paramedics packing guns

Desperation as two held up during code-red emergency

SOUTH African paramedics started carrying guns this week – to protect themselves as they try to save others’ lives.

Early yesterday morning, two Cape Town medics were held up at gunpoint en route to the Melomed Hospital in Mitchells Plain with a code-red patient in their ambulance, when they stopped to attend to a man lying in the road. But it was just a ruse for him to draw his gun and hold them up.

Last week, South African Emergency Personnel Union president Mpho Mpogeng called on all the union’s 7 000 members to arm themselves during the festive season after a spate of more than 30 attacks on members over the past six months.

“Our position is very clear,” Mpogeng said yesterday. “We are treating fire with fire. We don’t have to be apologetic when dealing with crime because crime will remain crime.”

He said the union had tried to speak to national and provincial departments of health as well as the SAPS, but that nothing had come of it.

Mpogeng said that ever since the union had issued its call there had been barely any incidents of their members being attacked.

“It’s happening, our paramedics are arming themselves and going out on duty. This is our only option, we are on our own. If government had issued a statement like we did a long time ago, we wouldn’t be talking about this matter now. But they are cowards and do nothing to protect emergency workers.”

However, the union’s call has been condemned in several quarters, including by the national director of EMS and Disaster Management at the Health Department,

Raveen Naidoo, asking the union to retract its call – which it refuses to do.

Gun Free South Africa expressed its shock. While conceding that more and more paramedics were being attacked, director Adele Kirsten said arming paramedics was not the solution.

“We know arming people increases the potential for violence. A gun is a good offensive weapon, which is why you would arm your police force or military, but it’s not a good defensive weapon, so all the evidence shows that you increase the risk for your own injury or death.”

Naidoo said it was completely against the idea.

“All health establishments in the country are gun-free zones and EMS is no exception,” said Naidoo.

“We have identified and taken steps to address this issue of attacks on EMS personnel, but we cannot allow them to carry firearms to work.”

The national Department of Health said while it understood the concerns of workers, it could not condone workers arming themselves.

Mpogeng said his members had been threatened with dockets being opened against them for inciting violence if they armed themselves: “I don’t have a law degree, but I don’t think that people protecting themselves is inciting violence.

“The very same people who are criticising us don’t have the balls to address the issue. I’m sure most of these people know deep down that what we are doing is right, but won’t support us in public.”

Gareth Jamieson, owner of KwaZulu-Natal-based Rescue Care, said he had already started carrying a firearm on duty.

“It’s not a nice industry to be in. I carry a firearm with me. And I allow my employees to do so, although I do not encourage it,” he said.

Jamieson said hijackers had once attempted to take one of his ambulances and that they had also been victim of two “petty robberies”.

He said it was important staff concealed their weapons.

Other paramedics were not at all in favour of arming themselves.

Karina Hendricks*, a paramedic in the Western Cape who has been robbed on duty and had her life threatened, described the call to arms “silly”.

“Using dangerous weapons will only make us a bigger target,” she said.

Another paramedic Liam Johnson*, who has worked in the industry for 15 years, said: “We all know that criminals are after valuables and guns, and if they see you with a gun attacks will increase.”

Yesterday morning, the two Melomed paramedics were robbed of their cellphones, medical cards, an undisclosed amount of cash and a Swiss army knife.

Salama Joseph, a manager at Melomed Hospital, condemned the attack.

“Perpetrators are robbing their community of a vital service. There might be a point that we have to say some areas are a no go because of the attacks, and who suffers? The community will, unfortunately,” she said.

* Names changed.

We are treating fire with fire. We don’t have to be apologetic when dealing with crime because crime will remain crime… It’s happening, our paramedics are arming themselves. Mpho Mpogeng SA Emergency Personnel Union president