KZN medics tell of crime, pressure on frontlines
Emergency first responders in KwaZulu-Natal say working under intense pressure and being targeted by criminals are some of the biggest challenges they face on the job.
Local paramedics have been sharing their personal experiences as part of International Paramedics Day, which was marked on Tuesday.
Trystan Summerton, who's with IPSS Medical Search and Rescue, says while some days are tough, his work is deeply rewarding.
" You assist people in their most sad and critical times, but you can also share their happiest. Some cases are very time sensitive as well, and the most important thing is to get them to the appropriate facility at the right time. It can be very mentally and physically challenging.
Garrith Jamieson from ALS Paramedics says safety for emergency teams is a growing concern.
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" One of the most challenging obstacles for paramedics is obviously the aspect of safety. Paramedics can't pick and choose where they go to because at the end of the day, we need to save lives, and then we get these criminals who prey on paramedics and then rob them."
KZN VIP's Rishi Ramburin says for him, the job is more than just administering treatment.
" There's a lot of pressure that comes with being a paramedic. What we do love about the job is being able to save a life. We come with the idea and the feeling of hope to the people in the darkest and most traumatic times."
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