Ambulance vandalised while patient treated inside
The crew were shocked to discover their ambulance was being attacked while they and a patient were inside in Telford.
Monday 30 April 2018 15:54, UK
An ambulance crew has described how their vehicle came under attack in Telford as they treated a patient inside.
The vehicle's wing mirror was broken, mud was thrown across its side and the crew reported hearing banging noises as if the vehicle was being struck as they attended to the medical case at around 1.20am on Monday in Wildwood.
The crew also heard shouting from outside.
West Midlands Ambulance Service has reported the incident to police and will be examining CCTV footage from cameras located on the ambulance.
Photos of the damage were shared on social media by the crew.
Clinical team mentor Joy Hughes tweeted: "Working with Zoe tonight, trainee technician. Rather surprised when treating a patient in the back of the ambulance a random stranger began to attack the vehicle!
"Police requested, we got away safely but damage means that vehicle now off road. All people okay, thank goodness."
Operations manager, Edd Davis, who went to support the crew, tweeted: "A disgusting act of vandalism caused by a male in Telford tonight, breaking a wing mirror and throwing mud up the side of the vehicle.
"Now vehicle is off road and can't help anyone."
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Davis said: "It's very frustrating. I understand some patients can lash out from their illness but in this situation... there was no link. It was a completely random and malicious attack."
Mr Davis, who has worked in the ambulance service for 13 years, says the number of attacks on staff and vehicles is increasing.
"It must have been quite scary for [the crew]... They acted really professionally so I want to commend them," he added.
After being off the road for around seven to eight hours, the ambulance is able to be used again after being cleaned and repaired.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "How can it possibly be appropriate for anyone who has nothing to do with the case the ambulance crew are dealing with to suddenly start attacking the vehicle?
"Sadly, many of our crews are familiar with this sort of behaviour, but when you are a patient, this must have been terrifying.
"Any such actions are abhorrent."
A number of attacks on ambulances have been reported in recent months.
In February, a 26-year-old woman in Staffordshire after leaving an angry note on the vehicle telling an ambulance driver to "move your van".
It read: "If this van is for anyone but Number 14 then you have no right to be parked here.
"I couldn't give a s*** if the whole street collapsed. Now move your van from outside my house."
In March, a doctor parked outside a hospital. The consultant's car, which was left in an area where parking was not allowed, had been blocked in by the emergency vehicle.
In November last year, a note was left on an ambulance in Birmingham that read: "You may be saving lives, but don't park your van in a stupid place and block my drive."
The patient the ambulance was responding to later died in hospital.