INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis paramedics are raising alarms about on-the-job mental health, and one paramedic is pushing for better support.
WISH referenced an EMS1 article, stating unions and EMS organizations say emergency responders are about four times more likely to be injured at work, a risk reflected in the challenges crews face as the city rapidly grows.
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Paramedic Grace Denny, a Local 416 representative, says Indianapolis EMS answers more than 350 calls a day and that every paramedic experiences at least one violent patient encounter each week.
“We’ve noticed a lot of lack of support from our management or bosses or things like that, whether it’s they don’t have time or they don’t notice,” Denny said. “They don’t check up on us after runs. I know last week we had someone who was bitten by a patient in the back of the ambulance who then left the ambulance.”
One of three key dangers is physical safety. Crews are chased by drivers, threatened with guns and face combative patients. Drugs and alcohol often escalate these incidents and because EMS personnel are unarmed, they must rely on verbal de-escalation.
A second danger is unfamiliar terrain, such as hard-to-navigate buildings and alleys where threats may come from bystanders. The third is the psychological toll after calls. There’s no built-in way to process trauma and help often comes out of pocket. Denny is working to change that.
In October, as EMS World Expo comes to Indianapolis, Denny will host a fundraiser to expand EMS mental health support, funding certified therapists, post-run decompression time and peer support training.
Are you and your coworkers seeing an increase in violence during EMS calls?
