Close call at Kelowna ambulance station highlights safety concerns

A frightening incident at a downtown Kelowna ambulance station has the union representing paramedics calling for immediate safety improvements.

“We don’t want it to take a paramedic dying for change to happen,” said Ian Tait, communications director for the Ambulance Paramedics of B.C.

Early Tuesday morning, a paramedic was washing an ambulance in the station’s garage bay on Lawrence Avenue when he suddenly came face to face with a knife-wielding woman screaming and allegedly uttering threats.

“The assailant popped out from behind the ambulance brandishing like a four-inch hunting knife with,  like an edged tip on it,” Tait said.

According to Tait, the suspect took at least two swipes at the paramedic with the knife

“Luckily the paramedic had the wash broom. It’s like a broomstick with a bristled brush on the end, and kind of used it in between,” Tait said.

The paramedic was able to de-escalate the situation and the suspect eventually took off.

RCMP were unable to track the woman down.

A spokesperson for Kelowna RCMP said police are still investigating the incident.

Fortunately, the paramedic was not injured.

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“The paramedic told me straight to my face, if I didn’t have the broom thing in my hand, I would have gotten stabbed,” Tait said.

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The union representing paramedics says this is just the latest in a number of concerning incidents at the downtown Kelowna site, where homelessness and addiction have grown substantially in recent years.

It’s calling on the employer to improve safety measures.

“We definitely want BCEHS to, you know, stop coming up with excuses about why they don’t take safety seriously at that Kelowna station. This has been an ongoing issue for years,” said Tait.

“We’re very concerned as we see violence escalating against paramedics that it’s just a matter of time before someone becomes seriously, seriously injured or killed.”

BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) said the safety of its staff is paramount.

“A very frightening incident,” said Leanne Heppell,” BCEHS executive vice president & chief ambulance officer. “We are wrapping our arms around our staff.”

Heppell said BCEHS has hired a security company to patrol the site as it discusses more long-term options.

“We will be working hand in glove on initiatives moving forward,” Heppell told Global News.  “We have  183, 186 if you count our dispatch centers across the province, and we’re trying to work through each of them as far as you know, station improvements where needed, but most, in particular, focusing on safety.”

But Tait said it’s actions, not words, that are urgently needed.

“We don’t want it to take a paramedic dying for change to happen,” Tait said.

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