Black-eye Friday warning from North East Ambulance Service
The North East Ambulance Service is reminding party-goers to stay safe and look after each other as it prepares for one of the busiest weekends of the year. Today is commonly known as “Black-eye Friday”, and when combined with Christmas Eve, it's set to be one of the busiest weekends of the year for the emergency services. December has already been a busy time for NEAS, with around 200 more ambulances being dispatched each weekend so far this month compared to a normal weekend. With two bank holidays immediately after Christmas, the festive revelry is also set to continue into Tuesday. Last year, the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) dispatched 3,327 ambulances over the Black-eye Friday weekend, compared to 3,025 ambulances dispatched the previous weekend - equating to a 10% increase in demand. Although not all of these were alcohol related, almost 200 incidents were reported by staff as false alarms such as no injury and no treatment required. Lynn Pyburn, Assistant Operations Centre Manager, said: “The Christmas period is one of our busiest times of the year and it’s not just the ambulance service under pressure - unless it’s an emergency you can help our hospitals too by being safe and sensible. “Have a good night but please don’t ruin your night by ending it sitting in A&E. Arriving at hospital in an ambulance doesn’t mean you will get seen or treated any sooner. “Someone who is suffering the effects of drugs or alcohol can divert our resources away from genuinely sick people. For every inappropriate call we receive, there’s someone genuinely ill waiting. Please consider this when calling 999. It could be you or someone you know waiting for that ambulance. “Please think before you pick up the phone. Do you really need an ambulance or is there another way of you getting help? “We would also like to remind people that we are not a taxi service. We receive a lot of calls at this time of year from people who want a lift home.” NEAS staff from emergency care and the patient transport service (PTS) are also working with police on Operation Ginger to respond to patients in the city centre. Stuart Holliday, Head of HART and Resilience, said: “The intentions behind Operation Ginger is to provide swifter response to violent or health related incidents or injuries. On occasions when we are not able to send a lone worker, or a police officer might want medical assessment of a person, it can be quicker to respond jointly with a police officer and ambulance worker. “A PTS sweeper vehicle is also used for the transportation of patients. This can reduce call outs for ambulances and police, lessen the impact on A&E at peak times and give early intervention, triage and treatment on site.” Colin Shevills, Director of Balance, the North East Alcohol Office, said: “We want everyone to enjoy themselves over the festive period, but we also want people to stay safe. Over the Christmas period it’s easy to overdo it where alcohol is concerned, but drinking too much brings very serious risks. “Not only can excessive drinking spoil the festivities for the people involved and their families, it also puts a huge strain on our emergency services. By drinking sensibly, everyone can play their part in helping to reduce the burden.” Party-goers can enjoy the festivities and keep themselves safe by taking some of the following steps: Wear appropriate clothing and footwear for cold weather Eat a meal before heading out Stay hydrated - have a soft drink in between alcoholic drinks Don’t over indulge with the alcohol and keep your drink in sight at all times Stay together and look after each other Pre-book your taxi for getting home before you go out and keep some money spare to pay for it. Text each other so you know you’re all home safely
Examples of emergencies where 999 should always be called include:
· Chest pain · Difficulty in breathing · Unconsciousness · Severe loss of blood · Severe burns or scalds · Choking · Fitting or concussion · Drowning · Severe allergic reactions