Trainer tries to help EMTs, paramedics combat attacks, stay safe on their jobs

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Real American heroes face increasing dangers on their jobs.

Emergency medical technicians and paramedics rolling to the rescue sometimes find themselves assaulted by those they're trying to help.

“You got to love it to do it,” said paramedic Stephen Little.

Little wouldn't trade his passion for the world.

“I get to go to work and my job is to save somebody's life,” he said.

Little never knows what the next call will bring.

“It's scary sometimes going to some of the places we go to because we are out in the middle of nowhere, and it's just you and your partner against the world,” said Little.

Their jobs are to help but more and more medics find themselves the ones in danger.

Kip Tietsort found out firsthand when someone car-jacked his ambulance on U.S. 63.

“The guy started punching me in the face,” he said.

Teitsort is an EMS educator as well as a paramedic.

“In the EMS setting, you are there because you care, so it’s always kind of a surprise when the person threatens to kill you, kill your family,” he said.

The tales are becoming all too common.

“Paramedics, firefighters, and nurses on a regular basis are attacked and assaulted, their jaws broke, their arms broke, kicked, ribs broke, and things like that,” said Teitsort.  “Nobody's immune to it.”

The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians finds more than half of all medics have been assaulted on the job.

“It is absolutely astounding of actually how frequently it does happen.”

Other studies suggest paramedics now encounter violence once every 20 calls they work.

“By all means, I would use the word epidemic.”

The reason for the rise appears to be alcohol and drugs such as methamphetamine.

“I don't know if it's the economy, if it's the availability.  It’s becoming more and more frequent and a lot more people are going to get hurt.”