CAEP

THREE INCIDENTS INVOLVING THE OTTAWA PARAMEDIC SERVICE HIGHLIGHT DANGERS FACED BY FIRST RESPONDERS The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) and the Ottawa Paramedic Service routinely respond to calls for service, including volatile and unpredictable situations. For paramedics and police, even routine calls can become dangerous without warning, requiring quick coordination to protect patients, the public, and one another. Recent incidents underscore the dangers first responders face and the importance of working together to protect residents, patients, and responders. These calls can involve assaults on paramedics while providing medical care, as well as situations where paramedics support officers by helping to de-escalate a confrontation until additional resources arrive. Three incidents during the week of April 13, 2026, reflect both the risks first responders face and the close coordination between the Ottawa Police Service and the Ottawa Paramedic Service required to manage them safely. In one, several paramedics were assaulted while providing care. In another, a person became confrontational and assaulted both an officer and a paramedic assisting on scene. In a third, paramedics withdrew for safety after a firearm was produced. On April 13, 2026, Ottawa Paramedics were assaulted while providing patient care in Barrhaven, resulting in injuries and a request for immediate police assistance; charges were later laid. On April 14, 2026, a woman at a Nepean residence assaulted an Ottawa Police officer and a paramedic who was assisting on scene, including spitting in the paramedic’s face. She was arrested and charged. On April 17, 2026, Ottawa Paramedics responded first to a Nepean disturbance and withdrew for safety after a firearm was produced; Ottawa Police arrested the individual without injury and laid charges. The Ottawa Police Service extends its appreciation to Ottawa Paramedic Service members for their continued partnership and support during calls for service and remains committed to supporting the safety of all first responders. By: Ottawa Police