Port Macquarie paramedic Scott Duffy says five years ago he didn’t know about ice but now he attends about one incident a week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Ice is also known as crystal meth and is a crystalline form of the drug methamphetamine.
Mr Duffy has been in his role for 19 years and said paramedics at most at risk of being assaulted when attending ice related incidences.
When paramedics travel in the ambulance with patients they are also in close proximity with the person.
At all times Mr Duffy said paramedics are on guard whenever they attend a situation involving ice.
“That’s due to the unpredictable nature of the drug and the way that affects people,” he said.
Mr Duffy said sometimes paramedics know when they will be attending an incident involving the drug methamphetamine but other times they will attend without prior warning.
“You look for their erratic behaviour, they often can’t sit still, they are jumping around and will often have enlarged pupils,” he said.
Sometimes if a person is deemed to be too dangerous to approach paramedics will wait until they have assistance of police before they attend.
Mr Duffy said it is a challenge to have the same empathy for someone who requires assistance due to self inflicted actions versus another who is an innocent victim of something which has taken place.
“It’s part of our role that you treat every patient the same,” he said.
Mr Duffy said drug abuse has a huge impact on the Port Macquarie-Hastings emergency resources as well as a user’s family members and children.
He said he is unsure of the reasons behind why ice has become such a popular drug in the Port Macquarie-Hastings.