Saskatoon ambulance window smashing was the second incident in a month

On Tuesday, an ambulance parked downtown had its windows “smashed out” while paramedics were attending a patient.

Published Nov 15, 2023 • 2 minute read

Ambulances sit outside the emergency entrance at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, SK on Thursday, January 13, 2022. Photo by Matt Smith /Saskatoon StarPhoenix

A window was “smashed out” of a Medavie Health Services West ambulance parked in Saskatoon’s downtown area on Tuesday morning while paramedics attended a patient, the ambulance service says.

It’s the second incident reported in the last month involving an ambulance.

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On Halloween night, a paramedic’s foot was run over when someone tried to steal an ambulance before bystanders stepped in to help.

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For the union that represents paramedics, these incidents illustrate ongoing safety concerns.

Paul Hills, president of the Saskatoon Paramedic Association, said while incidents like these make the news, there are weekly assaults. Patients or their family members have become aggressive or violent with paramedics, and paramedics have attended to patients who have weapons on them, he added.

It’s also becoming increasingly difficult to ensure police are present as backup because police are facing pressures from higher call volumes, Hills said.

“It’s definitely not something that we’re immune to long-term in our job, but it’s also something that has spiked, I’d say in the last couple years.”

He said the union has noticed a rise in paramedics taking time away from work after incidents for physical or mental health reasons.

Medavie said Tuesday’s incident happened between 5:50 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., when someone “smashed out” the driver’s side window of an ambulance parked on 20th Street East between Second Avenue South and Third Avenue South. Paramedics ended up taking their patient to Royal University Hospital in the damaged vehicle, since the patient was in serious condition.

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“Thankfully, due to some favourable weather conditions, this did not affect our ability to treat a very serious patient, but this is a stressor that paramedics shouldn’t be dealing with,” said Medavie spokesman Troy Davies.

City police are investigating. Suspect information isn’t currently available.

Hills said he supports proposed legislation before Parliament that would make an assault against a paramedic an aggravating factor when someone is sentenced.

Bill C-321, sponsored by Cariboo-Prince George MP Todd Doherty, proposes adding a provision that would have the court consider an assault against a first responder or health-care professional on duty an aggravating factor in sentencing for various levels of assault.

The bill received second reading in June and is currently with the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

The Criminal Code already includes a specific offence for assaulting a peace officer (including police); conviction carries a possible maximum sentence of five years. The Criminal Code doesn’t include any provisions specific to other first responders, including firefighters and paramedics.

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Hills said the change would hold offenders accountable and give closure to the people assaulted.

Anyone who sees someone assaulting a paramedics should call police and understand it’s not right to treat them this way, he said.

“We’re people too, and we’re just there to help out when we can.”

Paul Hills, president of the Saskatoon Paramedic Association. Photo by Submitted by Paul Hills /jpg