New Year call-outs for region's ambulance service increase
West Midlands Ambulance Service received 634 ‘999’ calls, between 8pm and midnight on New Year's Eve an increase of nearly 7% on the same period a year earlier.
The service says that more ambulance crews were on duty for a New Year than ever before for such a night.
It meant the ambulance service was in a strong position to deal with the expected influx of calls and, as expected there was a steady increase in those calls in the last four hours of 2015, towards midnight.
In Shropshire, 32 calls were received before midnight and 66 between midnight and 4am.
West Midlands Ambulance Service, along with Community First Responders, St John Ambulance volunteers and the street pastors, ran Shrewsbury's first Temporary Minor Injury Unit.
Paramedic Officer Cliff Medlicott who was running the unit said: “We dealt with some alcohol-related patients, one of whom ultimately needed to go to A&E, others we helped on their way home.”
West Midlands Ambulance Service Chief Executive Anthony Marsh said: “I am very grateful and very proud of all my staff that worked through the year and through the night to keep everyone safe, putting the public before themselves and their families.
“I would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.”
Calls Beakdown
Between 8pm and midnight, there were 634 ‘999’ calls, an increase of nearly 7% on the same period a year earlier.
Birmingham 145, Black Country 142, Worcestershire 68, Shropshire 32, Herefordshire 22, Coventry & Warwickshire 86 and Staffordshire 123.
From midnight until 4am, there were 995 ‘999’ calls, an increase of 15% on the same period a year earlier.
Birmingham 243, Black Country 215, Worcestershire 68, Shropshire 66, Herefordshire 25, Coventry & Warwickshire 112, Staffordshire 212.
