It will be a long and exciting night for the emergency services. The Minister and the State Secretary for Justice and Security therefore paid a working visit to care providers in Roosendaal on Tuesday. They tried to encourage them. “Keep your paws off them,” warns State Secretary Coenradie.
The commander of the fire brigade tonight, Arno van Poeijer, expects a busy night. “I think that on average in Roosendaal we turn out about thirty to forty times on such an evening. They are often small and short incidents and we continue from one to the other and try to extinguish it properly.”
“Make sure you get home safely tomorrow.”
Yet Arno and his colleagues are more alert tonight than during a normal shift. “There is often aggression towards emergency workers or fireworks are thrown. We therefore agree at the start of the shift that we will pay close attention to each other.”
And he also agrees on this with the home front. “I have been doing this for more than thirty years, but my wife also said this morning: ‘Be careful tonight and make sure you get home safely tomorrow.’ She really sympathizes.”
Despite the tension, according to Arno, it is always a lot of fun. “You are out with the team and meet all kinds of people. Everyone is happy during New Year’s Eve and that often makes it a nice service.”
“Keep your paws off emergency workers.”
The stories of aid workers made an impression on State Secretary Ingrid Coenradie. “About thirty to forty reports is no small feat, that is hard work. It is a tough job and I have a lot of admiration and respect for that.” Her message is clear: “Keep your hands off emergency workers, show respect and let people do their work.”
The minister did not arrive empty-handed. “I am here today to prepare for the services, to encourage our first responders and to give oliebollen to use while they wait. I hope they have a quiet service.”
Police officer Martijn Mol is also ready for tonight. “It will be a long day. Not only the night itself, but also the preparation will cost us quite a bit of capacity.” Together with other emergency services and the municipality, they have been working on New Year’s Eve for months. “It was very unrest a few years ago and we had fireworks riots, we hope not to go back to that period.”
The emergency services in Roosendaal have learned a lot from the turbulent New Year’s Eve a few years ago. “Lessons have been learned as a result of the fireworks riots that took place here. That is why it is great that we are here today. For example, drones are used to get a better view of what is happening and scan cars are used with the police and fire brigade working together inconspicuously. driving around the neighborhood trying to nip things in the bud.”
“We cannot do this with rules
It is the first New Year’s Eve for Van Weel as minister. “Of course I find it exciting because I wish the emergency services peace and safety and on a night like this it is exciting whether that will happen.” He is especially concerned about the cobras, which have been in the news a lot lately. “Cobras are terrible and we have to get rid of them. That is why they are banned and fall under the Weapons and Ammunition Act.”
Even though they are banned, he still sees them popping up. “We cannot do this with rules mindset change people. People need to realize that you should not let off illegal fireworks. There is a reason for that, because it can result in fatalities and injuries. And they certainly shouldn’t harass emergency workers with it.”
It’s about to start for police officer Martijn. “Just a few more hours and then it starts. That feels a bit ambiguous: on the one hand you hope for a quiet night, on the other hand you hope that you can all have a nice time and that everyone is home safely. can come.”