We looking forward to the NY holidays with great concern - Emergency Medical Service

RIGA - We are awaiting the upcoming New Year holidays with great concern, said Liene Cipule, Director of the Emergency Medical Service (NMPD), in an interview to Latvian Television this morning.

"We are looking forward to the New Year holidays with much concern, as alcohol consumption increases during these festivities and the risk of various injuries also increases," Cipule said.

At the same time, Cipule described the recent Christmas holidays as peaceful.

Earlier, NMPD spokeswoman Laura Berzina told LETA that Latvian residents celebrated Christmas in a calm and responsible manner, and NMPD medics did not have to go to any calls where serious injuries related to celebrating the holiday had occurred.

Overall, the Christmas holidays were routine for NMPD medics, with no cases of particular note. There was no increase in the number of calls during the holidays - it was business as usual.

Although one holiday is over, another one is ahead - the New Year celebrations. Every year, it is at this time that NMPD medics have to provide assistance to those who, due to recklessness and under the influence of alcohol, have carelessly handled various pyrotechnics.

These include lacerations and extensive burns to the body, facial injuries with broken bones, eye damage and visual impairment, as well as hand injuries with broken fingers and amputations, fractures and other injuries. In addition, it is not only adults who suffer injuries, but also children and young people who are left without adult supervision, said Berzina.

The NMPD wishes people protect themselves and their loved ones, so that a tragic accident does not overshadow not only the New Year celebrations, but also the rest of life.