"We are not trained or protected": Paramedics say stabbing inside ambulance in Manhattan highlights dangers of job
NEW YORK -- A Bronx man is now in custody after police say he stabbed an EMT multiple times while in the back of an ambulance Wednesday night.
That EMT is in serious but stable condition. Police say she was stabbed in the stomach and the leg by a patient with a knife.
"I saw the lady was on the floor and some of the workers went inside the ambulance. There's a guy inside," a witness said Wednesday. "Somebody saying, 'He got a knife! He got a knife!'"
What started out as a typical Wednesday night call for an EMT turned into a nightmare every paramedic fears.
"Are we going to go out to work, put on our uniforms, and are we gonna make it back home?" said Jesus Palacios, a paramedic and 1199 union delegate.
Police say paramedics responded to a call for cardiac arrest patient Rudy Garcia on the Upper West Side. When the ambulance arrived at Mount Sinai West, police say Garcia began stabbing the EMT with a knife multiple times.
"We do respond and we do transport a lot of patients that are having mental issues, and we are not trained or protected," Palacios said.
Police described Garcia as "emotionally unhinged" and said the 48-year-old has eight prior arrests and was incarcerated in 1995.
"The system is overwhelmed, and we have an extremely difficult time in just handling the call volume," Palacios said.
EMTs usually travel in pairs. Many say they need more law enforcement support on calls. It's not uncommon for EMTs to prepare for calls to go south.
"There's these triangle bandages that ... are soft. They're not handcuffs, they're not metal, and you can sorta tie someone to a stretcher or a chair or something," said Yonkers Fire Lt. Christopher Higgins.
Higgins says there are dangers on the job for all EMTs across New York state.
"You're going into people's homes, into places of large gatherings, onto busy highways, and you never are really totally sure what you're going to find on the other side," he said.
In a statement, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East said:
"The horrific stabbing of an EMT by her patient last night underscores the dangers faced by emergency medical workers every day. 1199SEIU is closely monitoring the situation and our members are praying for their colleague's swift and full recovery. Violence against healthcare workers is all too common, and New York must do all it can to ensure that these frontline heroes are able to do their jobs free from the threat of physical harm. More resources must be directed towards the staffing and safety of EMTs and paramedics citywide, so that workers aren't placed in situations where they are unable to protect themselves. Ensuring appropriate staffing levels, shifts, rest time, and the support of other first responders is imperative. All workers have the right to a safe workplace, and in the field of healthcare—where often every second counts to save a life—this is especially critical."
The suspect and patient, Rudy Garcia, is now facing three criminal charges. FDNY tweeted assaulting an EMT or paramedic is a felony and is punishable of seven years.