A growing body of research is making it clear how frequently EMS providers are assaulted on the job, and industry leaders agree the already concerning numbers are underreported. This series breaks down the research regarding violence against EMS providers and offers strategies for recognizing and defusing dangerous encounters, as well as how to equip first responders with protective gear and technology to keep them safe on the streets.
This phrase has an amazing ability to get people in the middle of an angry rant to stop, listen, and reframe their argument
As a leader, you have a responsibility to calm the turbulence
Learn how ATCEMS identified EMS training goals and implemented an assault reporting function to protect providers from violence
EMS Captain Alison Russo-Elling, a 9/11 first responder nearing retirement, was attacked near her Queens station while on a food break
Despite video and eyewitness accounts placing him at the scene near Captain Alison Russo’s station, Zisopoulos testified he was asleep during the fatal stabbing
After surviving a brutal attack in an ambulance, Lancaster EMS Paramedic Melanie Kempf leaned on peer support and therapy to heal
A fundraiser for slain Firefighter/Paramedic Graham Hoffman raised over $100,000 in a day, drawing support from across the globe
Prosecutors say the man accused of killing FDNY Capt. Alison Russo deliberately ambushed the 61-year-old EMS veteran outside her Queens stationhouse
A Kansas City woman has been charged in the fatal stabbing of Firefighter/Paramedic Graham Hoffman, days after posting bond in an assault case involving a police officer
West Falls EMT Clara Stucker’s Seal of Civic Readiness project introduces a self-defense program tailored specifically to fire and EMS personnel
Catholic Health is increasing security at Mercy Hospital Buffalo after a patient shot himself, adding a second armed guard for 24/7 emergency department protection
After being removed from the building, the man punched one Paterson firefighter/EMT, kneed another and fled the scene
Nearly 75% of nonfatal private sector attacks in 2021 and 2022 were directed at healthcare and social assistance workers at a rate more than five times the national average
The wives and families of Burnsville Firefighter/Paramedic Adam Finseth, Officer Paul Elmstrand and Officer Matt Ruge share how difficult the losses have been since their husbands were killed in the line of duty
Burnsville officials are inviting the community to show their respects on the one-year anniversary of a fatal ambush that killed two police officers and a firefighter/paramedic
A Honolulu EMT and paramedic were kicked and punched by the patient during a call on New Year’s Eve
A man was sentenced to nine months after video showed him walking up to a Hennepin County medic and throwing a piece of concrete at her face
Violence against EMS personnel has led to a policy about checking and securing weapons before transport
While Aurora Fire Rescue attempted to extinguish a house fire, a man ran out with a gun and immediately fired upon a responding Falck Rocky Mountain ambulance
Suspect is accused of stabbing an EMT multiple times in 2019 during a wellness check transport
EMT Julia Fatum said she’s speaking about her attack to fight for better protections for first responders and call for an increase in penalties for assaults
The number of assaults on EMS personnel was more than double in 2021 and BWCs are being seen as a means to dissuade attacks
The killing of three first responders in Burnsville highlights the unacceptable level of danger EMS providers face
According to the affidavit, the EMT said Gabriel Trujillo raped her while she was napping in the back of their ambulance
Megan Lynn Pettit was charged with second-degree assault of a Cumberland ambulance crew
Learn 7 escalation phrases to avoid, plus alternative phrases to help defuse confrontational moments with patients or bystanders
Find out how body-worn camera video can boost patient care documentation, provider safety and more
Implementing body-worn cameras and body armor to support EMS safety strategy
NAEMT’s National Survey of Violence Against EMS Practitioners identifies training gaps in EMS safety
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