BIRMINGHAM, England — Teenagers shot a firework at a West Midlands Ambulance Service paramedic as she was walking to her response car following a call.
Paramedic Mel Fox had finished treating a patient, and saw three teenagers sitting on a wall as she returned to her vehicle. She was sitting inside finishing paperwork when she heard a loud bang, according to a report from West Midlands Ambulance Service.
“It really made me jump when it happened,” she said. “I didn’t know what had happened, but out of the corner of my eye I spotted the three youths running away.”
She saw the firework by the rear door of the car, and worried it would explode.
“After taking a moment to pull myself together, I got pretty angry,” she said. “What sort of mentality do people like this have? Were they just ‘messing about’ and thought they’d try and scare me? Were they trying to hurt me?”
WMAS Deputy Chief Executive Diane Lee said the behavior is out of order, and something the service will not tolerate.
“How anyone could think that this sort of act is appropriate is beyond me,” Lee said. “Our staff are there to help people in their hour of need. Thankfully Mel wasn’t hurt and actually continued working, helping another patient before she finished her shift, but no member of our staff should have to suffer this sort of experience.”