A dedicated paramedic with eight years of service has issued a desperate plea for respect, revealing she regularly considers quitting her job due to sickening death threats and violent assaults, incidents that spike alarmingly over the Christmas period.
A Festive Season of Fear for Frontline Workers
Emily Jackson, 31, loves her role helping people but says the shocking level of abuse from patients and the public has pushed her to the brink. She highlights that while most interactions are positive, the festive season brings a dangerous increase in alcohol and drug use, directly correlating with a rise in violent incidents against emergency service personnel.
"Most of us are in the job because we genuinely want to help people. It's a really rewarding job most of the time," Emily explained. "But being disrespected in a professional capacity when we are trying to help adds another level. It's meant to be a festive, happy time of year, but it isn't always for us."
Horrific Incidents of Violence and Intimidation
The scale of the problem is starkly illustrated by Emily's own traumatic experiences. In one incident in February 2024, captured on video, a male patient she was trying to help became enraged. He smashed her iPad on the floor while screaming 'I will kill you!', leaving her deeply shaken and leading to a subsequent breakdown.
Just weeks earlier, in December, Emily responded to a call at a pub in Uxbridge, West London, for a man reportedly unconscious from drink and drugs. The situation rapidly descended into what she described as a "horror film". After regaining consciousness, the patient punched Emily below her right eye. Later, he looked her directly in the eyes and threatened: 'I could rape you and dump your body in an alleyway'.
"I just felt my stomach drop and a chill go down my spine," Emily recalled. "I started crying but didn't want him to see me, so I turned my back to him."
A Systemic Crisis Demanding Action
Emily's ordeal is far from an isolated case. A recent staff survey conducted by the London Ambulance Service (LAS) revealed disturbing statistics:
- 44% of workers reported being sexually harassed by patients or the public.
- 53% admitted to being violently attacked while on duty.
- Drugs and alcohol are a factor in roughly 40% of all violent incidents.
In response, the LAS has launched the campaign 'All we want for Christmas is... RESPECT', urging the public to show consideration to ambulance crews and control room staff. Emily and her colleagues are also calling for more consistent and severe sentencing for those who assault emergency workers, arguing that such attacks are often "shrugged off" as part of the job and do not receive punishments proportionate to the crime.
"A lot of people get suspended sentences," Emily stated. "I think it can be seen as part of the job, but obviously it's not and shouldn't be seen that way." Her powerful message this Christmas is a simple yet urgent one: for the public to remember the human beings behind the uniforms and to "be nice" to all emergency service employees.
