Ambulance service plea after Halloween calls surge
41 minutes ago
Asha Patel
East Midlands
East Midlands Ambulance Service is urging people to celebrate safely this Halloween after a spike in calls last year.
The ambulance service said it received 3,865 calls for help last Halloween, rising to 4,144 calls the following day. It said a typical day sees about 3,400 calls.
Ambulance bosses linked the rise in demand partly to injuries while celebrating and "increased alcohol-related incidents".
In a plea to the public, the service has asked people to take care with flammable costumes around candles and fireworks, take extra care when driving - particularly in residential areas, and to supervise children.
The warning comes after the service said it had seen an "almost constant pressure and high demand" this year, with busy and hot summer months.
It added that every month in 2026 had been busier than in 2025.
In May and June, crews saw more than 6% more patients needing help - on average 175 additional people every day.
'Finite resources'
Ben Evans, director or service delivery, said: "With Halloween on a Saturday this year, and a busy winter period ahead of us, it's crucial that the ambulance service is only called in a life-threatening emergency.
"This year EMAS has our highest ever numbers of frontline staff and vehicles available to respond to emergencies across the East Midlands, and our crews, control room staff and volunteers are working incredibly hard and I want to thank them for this.
"Our resources are finite, so to ensure we can get to those sickest patients, please use the other NHS services available to you for urgent or routine problems, and if you are eligible, get vaccinated against flu, which we're already seeing circulating in our communities.
"We will continue to work closely with our partners to ensure that ambulance crews are released no longer than 45 minutes after arriving at the hospital."
The ambulance service said it would have an additional 200 frontline staff members and 20 new ambulances in December as a result of investment from NHS England and commissioners.
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