Emergency calls down on New Year’s Eve in Dubai

There were fewer calls for ambulances on New Year’s Eve, according to Dubai Ambulance Services, which received 679 calls between 5pm on December 31 and 5am on January 1. This compares with 742 the previous year.

Khalifa bin Daray, the service’s executive director, said the number of calls was lower thanks to good organisation and the presence of ambulances in the Burj Khalifa and surrounding areas. Last year, the same area was overcrowded with people celebrating the new year.

He said celebrations went more smoothly and noted the cooperation between government authorities and entities on the Dubai Celebrations Security Committee.

Mr bin Daray said there were 532 mild injuries, 49 medium injuries and eight serious that required admission to hospital.

There were 90 unclassified cases that mostly involved people in crowd situations who suffered shortness of breath, fainting or falls.

Dubai Ambulance Services secured 14 different events in the period. It activated all 75 of its ambulatory points in vital areas, on internal and external roads, and added 23 points around Burj Khalifa in addition to 12 mobile points. Services involved 67 paramedics, drivers, emergency nurses and doctors. There were 124 vehicles on standby for immediate and rapid intervention and 172 paramedics and drivers were summoned.