THE full toll Wagga’s ice epidemic is taking on the city’s emergency services staff was on show on Thursday night.
Wagga’s ice forum heard both police and paramedic perspectives, which painted a frightening picture of how they put themselves at risk dealing with those high on ice.
John Larter, Ambulance NSW’s acting Riverina zone manager, told the forum the changed and erratic behaviour of people under ice’s influence posed significant risks for paramedics.
“What ice does is make these people socially unacceptable and a threat to themselves and others,” he said. “As a paramedic in the field, it can be a very frightening experience to deal with these people.”
Wagga police crime manager Detective Inspector Darren Cloake told the forum addicts officers came across often had been awake for days.
“They’re not looking after themselves and everything around them and their family suffers as a consequence,” he said.
