Protections for Emergency Workers Facing on the job Assaults

Replies to Derek and Jesse

Derek

The book of Leviticus 19:15 says, “You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.” I think this verse supports the point you make. This verse also establishes the ideal that administrators - those who rule over and make decisions for the people - are to serve the people with the highest degree of justice and equity. This means that they are to treat all people equally, without favoritism or bias. In a society that is often plagued by corruption and bribery, this ideal is particularly important. If those in positions of power would seek to serve the people fairly and justly, it would go a long way toward making the world a better place.

Now from the perspective of how this verse applies to e-government and its benefits, I would say that, indeed, over the past few years, there has been a growing trend towards e-government (Silcock, 2001). This term refers to the use of electronic channels to deliver government services, information and transactions. There are many potential benefits of e-government, including improved efficiency, increased transparency and greater citizen engagement. For example, online government services can save time and money by reducing the need for paper-based transactions. In addition, e-government portals can provide citizens with easy access to information about government programs and services. Finally, e-government initiatives can help to engage citizens in the democratic process by allowing them to participate in online consultation and voting (Schelin, 2007). In sum, e-government has the potential to improve the way that governments operate and interact with their citizens. For these reasons, I would say that if we were to apply Leviticus 19:15 to public administration in the digital age, there’s no reason not to implement e-government.

References

Schelin, S. H. (2007). E-government: an overview. Modern public information

technology systems: Issues and challenges, 110-126.

Silcock, R. (2001). What is e-government. Parliamentary affairs, 54(1), 88-101.

Jesse

How government can better protect emergency medical workers from on-the-job assaults is an important public administration topic, and I hadn’t realized how dangerous it was to actually do this job. It appears, however, that government can and should take steps to address this issue. And based on some research I have done it appears that there are a number of steps that government agencies can take to help prevent assaults on emergency medical workers. For example, better training on de-escalation techniques can help staff to defuse potentially violent situations before they escalate. De-escalation techniques are designed to help people defuse tense situations without resorting to violence. The goal is to create a win-win situation in which everyone involved remains safe. Training in de-escalation techniques typically includes role-playing exercises and simulations (Ferrara et al., 2017). This allows workers to practice using the techniques in realistic scenarios. By giving emergency workers the tools they need to defuse potentially dangerous situations, de-escalation technique training can help to prevent unnecessary violence and save lives (Price & Baker, 2012).

In addition, improved security measures such as security guards can help to deter would-be attackers. These security guards can provide a physical barrier between the attacker and the victim, giving emergency workers time to escape or call for help. Additionally, security guards can help to deter potential attackers from targeting emergency workers in the first place. By making it known that there will be consequences for attacking first responders, security guards can help to make our communities safer for everyone. And by taking these and other steps, government agencies can play a key role in protecting the men and women who work tirelessly to keep us safe. The Bible says “Let him that think he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). From that perspective it makes sense for emergency workers to have protection and training against attacks.