JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — West End Ambulance Service board of directors approved the purchase of 10 bullet-resistant vests, or two per ambulance.
“Our crews respond to many violent calls. We want to make sure they’re protected,” the ambulance service director Ira Hart told We Are Central PA.
“Situations can arise anytime,” Hart said. “In Harrisburg there was a crew that responded on a call, just a medical call, and somebody else in the residence attacked the EMS worker.”
The EMS provider wasn’t hurt thanks to the body armor he was wearing. Hart said six of the agency’s employees already purchased vests for themselves, and others want to purchase their own, since many of them work at different services.
Hart said the ambulance service is working to help those EMS providers cover the cost, which is about $250.