BRISBANE, Australia — The Queensland, the second largest Australian state, government will spend nearly $1 million in a campaign to raise awareness about attacks on paramedics.
“We need to get the message out that serious assaults on paramedics will not be tolerated, and are subject to significant legal penalties,” Health Minister Cameron Dick told Australia Network.
Between June 2014 and June 2015, 226 physical and verbal attacks were reported against paramedics.
The government will also provide extra training to paramedics, focusing on situational awareness and how to de-escalate violent encounters.
“Any amount of training is good to improve them in how they might communicate with patients to make sure we identify areas of risk,” said Queensland Ambulance Deputy Commissioner Chris Broomfield.
Broomfield said excessive drinking and drug abuse is to blame for the increase in attacks on medics.