What started out as a call for a cardiac arrest Wednesday night turned into anything but typical for a New York EMT.
The patient, Rudy Garcia, started stabbing the EMT with a knife, striking her in the stomach and leg.
Police described Garcia as "emotionally unhinged" adding that the 48-year-old has eight prior arrests and was incarcerated in 1995. He faces a number of charges for stabbing the EMT.
"We do respond and we do transport a lot of patients that are having mental issues, and we are not trained or protected," Paramedic Jesus Palacios told a CBS2 reporter.
"The system is overwhelmed, and we have an extremely difficult time in just handling the call volume," he added.
EMTs usually travel in pairs. But many say they need more police support on some calls.
While they don't carry handcuffs, EMS personnel do have a few things to use if things start going south.
"There's these triangle bandages that ... are soft. They're not handcuffs, they're not metal, and you can sorta tie someone to a stretcher or a chair or something," Yonkers Fire Lt. Christopher Higgins explained.
Higgins says there are dangers on the job for all EMTs across the state.
After the incident, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East issued the following statement.
"The horrific stabbing of an EMT by her patient last night underscores the dangers faced by emergency medical workers every day. 1199SEIU is closely monitoring the situation and our members are praying for their colleague's swift and full recovery. Violence against healthcare workers is all too common, and New York must do all it can to ensure that these frontline heroes are able to do their jobs free from the threat of physical harm. More resources must be directed towards the staffing and safety of EMTs and paramedics citywide, so that workers aren't placed in situations where they are unable to protect themselves. Ensuring appropriate staffing levels, shifts, rest time, and the support of other first responders is imperative. All workers have the right to a safe workplace, and in the field of healthcare—where often every second counts to save a life—this is especially critical."
Read more: https://cbsloc.al/43xGlve
