Ambulance service St John is pleading with the public to stop attacking its staff after seven reported assaults in the past three years in the northern region of the South Island - the most recent leaving an officer with a fractured arm.
The assault on the Christchurch ambulance officer last week is being investigated by police and St John will not comment during the investigation.
St John Northern (South Island) regional operations manager Chris Haines said it had a "zero tolerance" policy towards assaults on staff.
"We take this issue very seriously and encourage our staff, and work with them, to report assaults to the police."
St John Southern regional operations manager Doug Third, of Dunedin, said his region was luckier on that front, with only one assault reported in the same time-frame.
"That incident was about three years ago and relatively minor, so we are lucky, I guess."
St John staff were given up-to-date personal safety training and safety equipment in case any situation got out of hand, Mr Third said.
Mr Haines said ambulance staff understood bystander emotions could run high at an emergency incident.
"However, assaults are unacceptable. Everything we do is to help people. We save lives.
We are non-judgemental medical professionals and it is disappointing that some members of the public think it appropriate to treat our staff so disrespectfully."
