Ambulance Crew Assaulted by Patient

MEDIA CONTACT: Mark E. Brady, Chief Spokesperson, 240-508-7930

mebrady@co.pg.md.us     @PGFDPIO

The very patient they were trying to help assaulted an ambulance crew assessing the medical needs of a teen-aged patient.  Fortunately, the crew was able to remove themselves from the situation and radio for police assistance.

At around 5:30 am, Sunday, May 1, 2016. A Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department ambulance and medic unit were alerted to a “sick person” call in an apartment in the 8100 block of 15^th Avenue in Langley Park.  The ambulance arrived first and family members let the 2-crew members into the apartment.  The family members thought that the teen-aged male “had too much to drink” and required medical assistance.

The crew started to evaluate the patient when suddenly and without warning he grabbed a female crewmember and assaulted her with his fist.  The quick thinking crew was able to maneuver themselves away from the combative patient and made their way out of the apartment.  The medics were just arriving and alerted by the ambulance crew to stay outside.  Police were immediately dispatched and arrived quickly.

The teen-aged male, still combative, was subdued by police and restrained with handcuffs.  A new ambulance crew transported the patient, with police on board, to an area hospital for evaluation and treatment.

It is not known at this time if any charges will be placed against the teen-aged male.

The female crewmember was shaken over the incident but is remaining on-duty.

This assault on Firefighter/Medics and EMTs come on the heels of an incident just over 2 weeks ago where Fire Fighter/Medic Lieutenant John “Skillet” Ulmschneider was shot and killed and another member shot and seriously wounded as they were trying to check on the welfare of the very man that shot them.  Two other members were injured while pulling an injured firefighter out of the line of fire.

A Safety Investigative Team (SIT) is being assembled to review the shooting incident.  The SIT could make recommendations on how to improve the safety of firefighters, medics and EMTs compared to how we have traditionally responded to incidents.