Newcastle Herald
NEW SOUTH WALES, Australia — There have been renewed calls for more in-depth crisis training for paramedics after a Newcastle officer was forced to talk down a man who had allegedly put a knife to his throat and threatened him.
The Australian Paramedics Association said the officer spent up to 10 minutes alone with the drunk suspect, including times where the knife was allegedly placed towards his throat, after being called to help a man having difficulty breathing at Maryville about 3am on Saturday.
The paramedic was able to call for urgent police assistance but only after he had negotiated for the man, who was not the patient, to drop the 30cm-long kitchen knife.
Read full story: Man arrested after allegedly holding knife to paramedic’s throat