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WEBVTT T THISTONIGHT.HE STRESSES THAT THE VIDEO YOUARE ABOUT TO SEE IS JUST ONEEXAMPLE OF MEDICS CONFRONTEDWITH DANGEROUS SITUATIONS THATTHEY AREN'T EQUIPPED TO HANDLE.[SIRENS]KAI: BALTIMORE CITY MEDICSRESPOND TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OFCALLS A YEAR.ACCORDING TO RICK HOFFMAN,PRESIDENT OF THE BALTIMORE CITYFIREFIGHTER'S UNION, SOMETIMESTHOSE CALLS COME WITH SERIOUSSECURITY CONCERNS.HE POINTED TO THIS VIDEO AS ANEXAMPLE, SHOWING TWO MEDICSASSAULTED BY A NAKED MAN OUTSIDEOF A BALTIMORE HOSPITAL EARLIERTHIS YEAR.>> THANK GOD THAT WAS AT AHOSPITAL.I WOULD HATE LIKE HELL FOR ONEOF MY PEOPLE HURT, BECAUSE THEYDON'T HAVE PROTECTION THAT ITHINK THEY NEED.KAI: HOFFMAN SAYS THAT BALTIMORECITY MEDICS HAVE BEEN ATTACKEDOR ASSAULTED AT LEAST 13 TIMESWHILE RESPONDING TO A SCENE OVTHE PAST TWO YEARS.THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME HEINSISTS THAT HE, AND OTHER UNIONMEMBERS, HAVE BEEN ASKING THEFIRE DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP AND CITY OFFICIALS FORPROTECTIVE GEAR AND SELF DEFENSETRAINING.THOSE REQUESTS HAVE BEEN METWITH LITTLE URGENCY, ACCORDINGTO HOFFMAN.PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE CHAIRBRANDON SCOTT SAYS HE HASCONCERNS ABOUT MEDIC SAFETY ASWELL.>> I BROUGHT THIS UP LAST YEAR,DOING -- DURING THE BUDGETHEARING FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.WHY DO OTHER JURISDICTIONS HAVETHE BODY ARMOR FOR PARAMEDICSPAND FIREFIGHTERS, AND WE DON'T.I THINK IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE.KAI: HOFFMAN ESTIMATES THEPROTECTIVE GEAR WOULD COST LESSTHAN $95,000.THE BALTIMORE CITY FIREDEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON DIRECTEDOUR QUESTION ABOUT HIS CONCERNSTO MAYOR CATHERINE PUGH, WHOQUESTIONED THE TIMING OF THECOMMENTS AND THE RELEASE OF THEVIDEO.>> WE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITHTHE FIRE DEPARTMENT, SO WHYYOU'D RELEASE A VIDEO OF SOMEONEWHO IS MENTALLY ILL IS BEYONDME.I'M REALLY FOCUSED ON GETTING TOTHE END OF THEIR NEGOTIATIONSTHEIR THE PROTOCOL, BEFORE EMSCOMES INTO PLAY.A SCENE MUST BE PREDICTED AND, THAT PROTECTED AND THE FIRST, PERSON TO CALL IN THESE INCIDENTS IS ALWAYS THEPOLICE DEPARTMENT.KAI: HOFFMAN SAYS HE'S NOT SUREHOW MUCH THE SELF-DEFENSTRAINING WOULD COST BUT HE SAYS, THE ESTIMATED $95,000 WOULD BEENOUGH TO OUTFIT THE ENTIRE

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Baltimore's first responders are coming under attack.Download the WBAL appSecurity video from earlier this year shows a nude man attacking two female medics as they try to restock their ambulance.Attacks like this has the International Association of Firefighters asking for protective gear and self-defense training."Thank God (the attack) was at a hospital," Baltimore City firefighters union president Rick Hoffman said. "I would hate like hell for one of my people to get hurt because they don't have the protection that I think they need."Hoffman said that Baltimore City medics have been attacked or assaulted at least 13 times while responding to a scene over the past two years. During that time, Hoffman insists that he and other union members have been asking fire department leadership and city officials for protective gear and self defense training.Hoffman said those requests have been met with little urgency. City Councilman Brandon Scott, the chairman of the council's public safety committee, said he also has concerns about the safety of EMS personnel. "I brought this up last year during budget hearings for the fire department," Scott said. "Why do other jurisdictions have the body armor for paramedics and firefighters and we don't? I think it's a safety issue."Hoffman estimates that the protective gear would cost less than $95,000 to outfit the city's EMS personnel. He added that he is not sure how much the self-defense training would cost the city.Mayor Cathine Pugh is also concerned about the safety of those in the fire department, but questions the timing of the release of the video."We are in negotiations with the fire department, so why you would release a video of someone who is mentally ill is beyond me," Pugh said. "So I'm really focused on getting to the end of their negotiations. There is a protocol. Before EMS comes into play, a scene must be protected and the first person to call in the incidents is always the police department."