Critical care paramedics say ‘hot’ flight suits are putting lives at risk

Aeromedical critical care paramedics are pushing for a new uniform after three recent incidents led to heat stroke for staff because their flight suits were “too hot”.

They are charged with rescuing victims of shark attacks and roadside accidents but the state’s “helicopter” paramedics are themselves being hospitalised — because their flight suits are too hot.

While overheating in the uniforms has long been an issue, three recent incidents where the aeromedical critical care paramedics themselves had to be flown to hospital with heat-stroke — one catastrophically — has made the situation critical.

The paramedics say while Ambulance NSW has also acknowledged the problems with the uniforms, even trialling a more appropriate replacement, the organisation has failed to swap the suits.

Their union is now threatening industrial action should Ambulance NSW fail to act.

Critical care paramedic and Health Services Union delegate, Jeremy Veness is campaigning to get new flight suits for paramedics as they are too hot. Picture: David Swift

Health Services Union (HSU) delegate Jeremy Veness said while the suit itself was already hot to work in, the situation was made worse with paramedics having to also wear 8kg of rescue and survival equipment while also carrying medical gear along with Covid-19 masks.

“The issue is we get too hot, especially in Western Sydney on a 40C day. There have already been three incidents and a few near-misses,” he said.

The demands for a new suit followed a paramedic being left with catastrophic and permanent brain injury from overheating on the job in 2016.

The incident triggered a SafeWork improvement notice to Ambulance NSW on March 7, 2016, warning that the organisation had endangered the health and safety of workers “from heat-related illness” and “failed to provide and maintain safe systems of work for workers in hot conditions”.

Critical care paramedics want a new, cooler uniform. Picture: Supplied

The bottom part of the new uniforms being trialled. Picture: Supplied

A Work Health and Safety risk assessment Ambulance NSW conducted in 2019 acknowledged that its aeromedical crews were at a “major” risk of suffering heat stroke, especially on days of over 40C.

Working with the Ambulance NSW uniform contractor, the paramedics themselves developed a safer, cooler uniform using cutting edge materials and improved design.

However, Ambulance NSW has so far refused to roll it out.

This is despite the operators of the helicopters — Toll — using the new suit for pilots.

The union is now demanding Ambulance NSW adopt the new uniform by July to ensure its paramedics could be fitted out before summer.

HSU secretary Gerard Hayes said it was “unfathomable” that helicopter pilots were wearing the new safe flight suits but the paramedics and doctors were still waiting.

“Paramedics are risking catastrophic injuries while faceless ministry officials are fiddling with lines on a spreadsheet,” he said.

“This is horrifying and unacceptable.”

A NSW Ambulance spokesman said: “NSW Ambulance undertook an extensive process to address heat fatigue issues in relation to aeromedical operations. This included not only addressing uniform arrangements but also the installation of air conditioning into all operational helicopters.

“A prototype flight suit that was proposed has been identified as not fit for purpose by the manufacturer. NSW Ambulance will formulate re-trialling of an appropriate uniform over the coming months.”

Originally published as Critical care paramedics say ‘hot’ flight suits are putting lives at risk