Portland, Oregon, paramedics learn self-defense amid attacks

[PeteS in CA]

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-bc-us--paramedic-assaults-20191111-story.html

Portland, Oregon, paramedics learn self-defense amid attacks

Her experience is part of a rash of attacks in recent months on paramedics in this Pacific Northwest city as they respond to a growing number of 911 calls for patients in mental health or drug-related crises. The uptick in violence is so severe that the private ambulance company that holds Portland's 911 contract is training more than 500 of its employees in defensive tactics.

The company is trying to better understand what's happening in the field.

"The frequency appears to be increasing. The severity appears to be increasing," said Robert McDonald, an operations manager with American Medical Response. "This has gone unreported in so many ways that it's difficult for us to get our arms around."

The increase in assaults dovetails with a new policy for the transport of patients in a mental health crisis that grew out of a 2012 federal investigation that found police used excessive force against those with mental illness.

Now, paramedics — not law enforcement — routinely take patients on mental health holds to the hospital ...

Another Obama Era anti-police action hurting ordinary people! Unsurprisingly. This story is in Oregon, but the problem likely will or is already happening in multiple cities and states.

[mountaineer]

The morons have been attacking EMTs and firefighters in New York for quite a while, haven't they?

[PeteS in CA]

The morons have been attacking EMTs and firefighters in New York for quite a while, haven't they?

Those are probably of the BLM-Antifoid flavor. I forgot about those situations.