Boston, Mass.- Several Boston emergency medical technicians were assaulted while responding to emergencies during the city’s Caribbean Festival on Saturday, Aug. 29, with some requiring treatment at local hospitals, according to their union.
The Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association EMS Division said EMTs were bitten, kicked in the head and struck by objects that were thrown at them while they were working at the festival.
The union condemned the assaults and said emergency medical workers should not be targeted while providing care.
“EMTs & Medics should never be viewed as acceptable targets for violence simply because they are trying to provide care in a difficult or volatile situation,” the union said in a statement released Sunday.
Jason Yutkins, president of the EMS Division, said the incidents occurred during an especially demanding day for Boston emergency medical services.
“Dedication to public service should never mean accepting unnecessary risks to their own lives and safety simply for doing their jobs,” Yutkins said.
The union also said Boston had fewer EMS units available than it believes the city needed to safely handle the demand for emergency medical services that day.
Despite the staffing challenges, EMTs and paramedics continued responding to calls involving violence and other serious injuries, including multiple shootings, stabbings and other major traumatic injuries, according to the union.
The EMS Division thanked Boston police officers for their assistance and called on Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden to prosecute those responsible for assaulting the EMTs.
The statement did not provide the number of EMTs assaulted, the number of people arrested or details about any charges.
The union said its thoughts remained with the injured EMTs and with families affected by violence in Boston over the weekend.
