One 999 Call Every 7 Seconds In Britain's Bloody New Year's Day

2008 was a turbulent year and it is typical to welcome the new year with a big celebration. Heralding in 2009 with parties and booze in Britain led to a bloody new year with ambulance control centres receiving high volumes of calls with the highest from London Ambulance Service with one call in every 7 seconds. Many of the calls related either to alcohol-fuelled assaults or excessive drunkenness.

This high volume of calls made it tougher for the ambulance centres to respond and provide aid to people in life threatening situations and the aftermath of the excessive night of celebrations is likely to add to the huge numbers of workers expected to phone in sick subsequently.

Is anyone surprised that such situations arises in Britain? Apparently not, just look at some of the many comments online at http://www.dailymail.co.uk, some reproduced below:

"This is a typical night in towns all over Britain."

".... this is just typical of newcastle, its always like this hence the comment that "it was a quiet night""

"What can anybody say that hasn´t already been said many times over ? and unfortunately , in contrast to the many statistics they throw at us saying otherwise we all know that its getting worse."

"Drinking, vomiting, fighting, these are the things the Brits are good at. After all, we make rubbish parents, rubbish managers. rubbish politicians, rubbish drivers, so give us credit for something or we'll get paranoid."

"I just spent my first New Years Eve - without being surrounded by drunken yobs - without fear of fighting - without fear of getting a glass in your face if you talk to the wrong person - safe on the streets withall the family including the children enjoying fireworks, bonfire, dancing and singing in the street with the neighbours - and we all went home without anyone dying, seriously injured or even not seriously injured - we even managed to light all of the streets fireworks, which were spectacular, without the need for the fire brigade standing by or safety glasses or asbestos suits and a 13 page safety booklet written in every language and without mentioning anything that might offend any creed, race, religion or sexual persuasion. I never realised life can be simple - till I left the UK of course. How sad eh?"

"Doesn't look that different from any week-end night in most British cities. Or certain parts of certain European cities after the Brits have Ryanaired in for stag/hen parties or cheap hols. I know several residents of Prague who are grateful that the weak pound will be keeping many of these people at home!"