'Just be sensible', says ambulance service on NYE

Yorkshire Ambulance Service has urged the public to "just be sensible" this New Year's Eve amid a high volume of 999 calls.

During the festive season, the service said its staff attend a higher number of alcohol-related incidents and outbreaks of violence than usual.

Their workload often includes a rise in assaults on emergency workers on 31 December.

Claire Lindsay, head of the emergency operations centre, said: "We don't want to spoil anyone's fun but it's important the ambulance service is available to those who most need it."

About 71,000 999 calls are expected between 16 December and 5 January, according to the service, with about 150 every hour on the busiest days.

On New Year's Eve, the "extremely busy" period starts from about 01:00 GMT and lasts a "good couple of hours".

Heavy drinking during celebrations typically increases the risk of accidents and A&E admissions, the service found.

Ms Lindsay said: "If you are enjoying alcoholic drinks over the festive period, just be sensible and don't ruin your celebrations by ending up in the back of an ambulance.

"The public can avoid putting unnecessary pressure on the ambulance service by planning their journey home, booking a taxi, eating before starting to drink alcohol, sticking to safe drinking levels and looking after each other."

She added the public should respect emergency workers and allow them to carry out their work without fear.

"Our staff are they to support people in their hour of need and that abuse is not tolerated and is unacceptable," Ms Lindsay said.

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