Winnipeg paramedic injured during on-call assault

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This article was published 10/04/2023 (930 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A city paramedic was taken to hospital after being assaulted on a call Sunday night.

Winnipeg Police Service duty Insp. Mark Hodgson said Monday the incident occurred near Magnus Avenue and McPhillips Street at around 10 p.m.

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service spokeswoman Kristin Cuma said the incident occurred during a medical emergency call.

“During the course of their work, a patient became violent,” Cuma said. “The paramedic crew immediately contacted the Winnipeg Police Service and WPS… responded.”

The paramedic was taken to hospital in stable condition.

Cuma said the safety of WFPS personnel is paramount: “Working in an enclosed space, like an ambulance with a patient, can pose a risk to responders.”

The paramedics on the Sunday night call were offered peer support, Cuma said, adding the department’s safety protocols and policies “continually evolve as the working environment” changes.

Many of the current policies and protocols come from work with safety committees, labour unions and partner emergency agencies. “We’ve worked together to build and implement these policies and protocols in order to keep members safe,” said Cuma.

All Winnipeg paramedics and firefighters are trained in threat management, she said. “The training aims to help responders identify the warning signs of violence and find ways to de-escalate the situation, leave it safely or call for help.”

Winnipeg police are investigating the incident, Hodgson said Monday.

Further details of what occurred and of the police response were not immediately available.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @erik_pindera