‘Everyone just wants to go home to their family’
Perils of position are numerous
The medics who go out every day to save lives never know what they’re walking into when they answer a 911 call — and that can include being attacked by the person they have come to help.
Assaults, needle sticks, infectious disease and patients carrying weapons are just a few of the situations that paramedics and emergency medical technicians may encounter during a day’s work, said David Faunce, paramedic and executive director of the Southeastern Massachusetts Emergency Medical Services Council.
“We are not equipped, we don’t have mace, we don’t have stun guns, you come in with a bag that has your medical equipment and that’s all you have,” said Faunce.
Faunce said patients with behavioral issues and domestic violence situations that involve weapons can be high-risk scenarios for EMTs.
“Patients who have weapons — if you have a patient that you’re treating and you find out they have knives or a gun on them, now you have to get the police,” said Faunce, adding that once inside the ambulance, EMTs can’t distance themselves from an armed attacker.
Another situation that often poses danger to EMTs is drug abuse and needle sticks, said Faunce.
“I’ve been stuck with a needle. It’s happened twice to me,” Faunce said. “I’ve been bit before so you have people out here where you can get bit, you can get punched, that happens quite a bit.”
Faunce said the key to avoiding danger is to stay alert. He said some EMTs have even purchased their own bulletproof vests to wear every day on the job.
“I think everyone just wants to go home to their family. That’s the biggest thing and you don’t want to bring anything home to your family and people realize that things can happen during their shift and you just do what you can to minimize that risk,” Faunce said.
He said the job takes an intense physical and mental toll, but the satisfaction of helping others makes it all worth it.