The following is a true story told by Werner Vermaak from ER24. He speaks about an incident that happened in the early 2000s when he had just joined the paramedic service.
“It feels like a cold fifty cent coin being pushed into the back of my neck. Not knowing what this sensation is, I turn around and stare straight into the barrel of a gun. Now I am the one pleading not to be killed – trying to figure out what is happening and when I will be shot. The only words I could hear were, ‘Leave him, he must die!’
“The more I try to make sense of it all, the closer the barrel is pointed in my face,” recalled Vermaak.
It was on this day that he chose not to let the incident kill his passion. Vermaak said that if you ask a paramedic, he or she will tell you that it is a calling to work on the road helping people. What happened to him was an unusual event and was definitely not the norm at the time. Sadly, it is now becoming the norm for many paramedics working in South Africa. Vermaak explained that over the last two years paramedics have been the target of relentless criminals, most of whom get away with their cruel misdeeds. Somewhere along the line these thugs brag about what they have done and this is destroying the passion and determination that drives paramedics to go out and do what they do best, he said.
WATCH:
“What joy do they get from taking advantage of someone who comes to their aid? Yes, a company can replace equipment and vehicles, but only up to a point. You have to draw the line somewhere. Less than a week ago some areas in the Western Cape were classified as red zones, or no-go areas for paramedics without police support. It may be beneficial to the medics and provide them some sort of security, but it is the communities themselves that will suffer in the end,” he said.
“We hear the outcry from the public, “Give the medics self-defence training” or “Let them carry weapons.” Are we then not perpetuating the violence? The community should feel the need to report these opportunistic attackers to the police and become part of a community solution. Let the medics work freely and focus on providing the care they are trained to provide,” added Vermaak.
LISTEN:
https://soundcloud.com/er24ems/er24-paramedicattack-documentary
“We recognise the risk to our ER24 paramedics and as such we have a structure to assist the team should they have experienced a traumatic incident. This includes counselling and various specialised training courses that assist them in their duties. We think it is important for communities to work together and report these types of incidents,” concluded Vermaak.
Community members can report incidents or information using the anonymous tip-off line Crime Line (32211) or call the police on 10111.
READ: Paramedic Attacks [VIDEO]
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