Northern Ireland's politicians were told today they have got to act to stop attacks on ambulance crews.
Health union Unison made the call after another ambulance was attacked in north Belfast while taking a seriously ill pensioner to hospital.
A brick was hurled at the ambulance on the Crumlin Road shattering the windscreen. No one was injured.
Industrial action was discussed in the immediate aftermath of the latest attack, but Mr Paddy Milligan, Unison branch secretary with responsibility for ambulance staff, said: "Personally I don't think a strike is the way forward, there are other forms of industrial action".
However he said crews wanted the politicians to take the lead. "Are they waiting for a member to be killed or for someone lying injured in the back of an ambulance to die because of violence from morons?
"The Assembly must back us and something positive must be done." Education was the key, and there had been talk about ambulances going around the schools to drive home the message to the youngsters who are the main culprits in attacks, Mr Milligan said.
"We are not an emergency service, we are an essential service and we couldn't spare an ambulance we are so hard pushed. We are finding it more and more difficult to cover night shifts if someone is sick - staff are scared to go out."
Mr Milligan said the union had asked for meetings with the Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan, Health Minister Ms Bairbre de Brún and the Stormont all-party Health Committee. "None have responded yet," he said.
PA