St John Ambulance was able to effectively respond to 54 emergency incidents from Sunday evening, December 31st, 2023, to the New Year morning of Monday.
The nature of emergencies varied widely covering incidents such as snakebites, respiratory problems, obstetrics/maternal complications, childbirth, trauma, and more.
Of particular concern was the noteworthy increase in violence and trauma-related emergencies, constituting 24 out of the 52 emergencies in the early hours of the New Year.
A breakdown of these violence and trauma-related emergencies revealed that 16 incidents occurred in the National Capital District, 3 in Central, and 4 in Momase.
This doubling of incidents during the night compared to the day raises alarms about the heightened risks associated with major events and public gatherings, often exacerbated by alcohol consumption.
Attending to such emergencies often requires multiple ambulances, highlighting the strain on resources that could be alleviated through prevention.
St John Ambulance was able to meet the demand of the festive season by having additional emergency ambulance crews rostered, which included volunteers.