New years eve Hillbrow SA.

[Medic]

news24 Source Link: Clicky

Johannesburg - The sounds of fireworks rang through the air on Monday night, as Hillbrow residents prepared to ring in the New Year.

At the Hillbrow police station, police and paramedics were on standby, should celebrations get out of control.

Spokesperson for the Johannesburg Emergency Services, Steven Kirk, said paramedics would be using "Mfezis" and "Nyalas" to remove injured patients from the Hillbrow area.

These armoured vehicles are used instead of "soft skinned vehicles" as Hillbrow residents became notorious for launching their furniture and appliances off balconies and out of windows when celebrating the New Year.

From bbc. Source Link: Clicky

New Year's flying fridges warning


Police often raid the notorious Hillbrow neighbourhood
South African police will crack down hard on anybody throwing old fridges from high-rise buildings during the New Year's holiday, they say.
Police and soldiers are on patrol in Johannesburg's notorious Hillbrow suburb, famous for the practice.

Throwing heavy objects from balconies and firing guns have become something of a bad "New Year's institution," said police Inspector Kriben Naidoo.

Revellers have been killed in the past after being hit by stray bullets.


It is not clear why Hillbrow residents have taken to seeing in the New Year by throwing objects such as fridges, microwave ovens, beds, rubbish bins and condoms out of their windows.

A blog of a paramedic

The question is - " What did you do for New Years?" and I'd like to hear what you got up up to, and to find out if anyone did anything as Crazy as I did...

MY NEW YEARS





For the past few years I have been a volunteer Paramedic with the Johannesburg Emergency Services, and so I thought it would be "Interesting" to go work in Hillbrow on New Years Eve...




WOW! What an amazing evening


Violence in Hillbrow has calmed down due to a huge Police presence over the past 2 years. It's almost like watching the S.W.A.T. Team in the movies - only in real life. As Paramedics we went into Hillbrow in an Armored Military Ambulance (named MFEZI) that has been bought by the Gauteng Provincial Government. Hillbrow is almost considered a "War Zone" on New Years Eve and no "normal" ambulances are allowed to operate in the "Hot Zone".




I got to do a lot of things that we are "not normally allowed to do" such as suturing wounds (stitching wounds) and had an absolutely awesome time (besides being shot at whilst trying to load a patient into the MFEZI(ambulance)...


Does this happen any were else in the world?

 

[phabib]

Fridge tossing? No, never even heard of that. That is the most random thing I've read all week. interesting way to bring in the New Year for sure.

 

[Medic]

Lol its very odd. I guess who needs fire works if you have fridges. lol