Paramedics demand stab vests

THE failure to provide stab vests to ambulance crews means that it’s just a matter of time before somebody is killed or seriously injured while on duty, paramedics warn.

The amount of attacks on ambulance staff and threats to their safety has escalated in the last few years, according to the Association of Ambulance Personnel (AAP).

Paramedics are now refusing to answer calls to certain parts of Limerick City without an armed garda escort, while areas in Dublin City have also become notorious for the amount of attacks on front-line medical workers.

The AAP, which represents 1,200 paramedics and trans-paramedics nationwide, started campaigning to have stab vests issued to all members three years ago. However, despite an acknowledgement of this need last year from Justice Minister Michael McDowell, nothing has been done to comply with this request.

“We haven’t heard anything more about it. It’s only a matter of time before one of our personnel is seriously injured or killed,” said AAP official Derek O’Rourke yesterday.

He said that there are four or five court cases pending in the Limerick area alone. “They’re taking the HSE to task over their failure to protect their ambulance crews.”

Mr O’Rourke said that, in the last 12 months, he himself has been threatened with a garden shears and with a broken bottle.