CARLISLE, Pa. – Local EMS employees say physical and indecent assault charges against providers are on the rise.
As reported by ABC27, “This has become a more dangerous job, and it really shouldn’t be because we’re just trying to help,” said Nathan Harig, assistant chief of Cumberland Goodwill EMS.
When an emergency call comes in, Harig is not only thinking about the patient’s health but his own safety. Harig says one in every seven EMS providers has been physically or indecently assaulted.
“These ambulances, they are tight quarters. It’s usually one-on-one in the back, and if a patient has a nefarious purpose and wants to do something back there, it’s going to be very hard to struggle and stop them,” Harig said.,
We’re also focused on their medical condition, so they can take advantage of our distraction very easily,” he added. ‘Whether it’s as simple as being spit on or if someone is actually full on groping or inappropriate touching our providers, we will press charges.”
However, the line is blurry on whether they can pursue charges.
“When we have people that are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or maybe they just called for a behavioral issue, those are people that there is a reason we should be continuing charges because even though you were intoxicated or doing something you weren’t supposed to, that wasn’t an excuse, but someone with a head injury, they don’t have an option or choice,” said Harig.
Cumberland Goodwill wants to see Pennsylvania strengthen protections of EMS workers.
“We prefer that if the state could make this an automatic law, I think that would give a lot of protections to people in our field,” Harig said.
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