The Star reports that City of Johannesburg emergency services are operational in Cosmo City after the recent attack on an ambulance crew, but there could be some delays in assisting patients as precautionary security measures have been put in place.  

These include the screening of calls and getting security assistance from the Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) or the police.  The City said despite attacks on paramedics last week, reports that emergency services had been suspended were incorrect.  “There was a temporary withdrawal of the ambulance service to Cosmo City, which was misinterpreted as a shutdown of emergency medical rescue services to the residents of Cosmo City.  This is entirely incorrect,” said Michael Sun, member of the mayoral committee for public safety.  An ambulance crew was attacked while on a call to Cosmo City, west of Joburg.  Sun advised further:  “In light of the attack on the ambulance crew at Cosmo City, we are now screening calls coming from these hot spots.  If the call is to attend to a volatile situation or a suspicious caller who cannot give us a precise location or description of the emergency, we will deploy the necessary resources to be escorted by the JMPD and/or SAPS.  Each call will be assessed individually according to merit, type and level of emergency.  We want to ensure both the safety of our residents and our EMS members.”  The city has also installed panic buttons in the city’s ambulances; and EMS members have been provided with self-defence training and pepper spray as a preferred device to deter attackers.

• Read the full original of Anna Cox’s report on the above story at The Star

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