Last night was the first night of the street parties at the Tenerife Carnival 2024 in Santa Cruz, and the emergency services were there in force to deal with any situation that arose. They more than proved their effectiveness, attending to a total of 81 people at the ‘pop up’ Carnival Hospital.
Rain in the Tenerife capital didn’t help last night's schedule as things overran with two carnival events overlapping – the Opening Parade and the street parties at different venues within the carnival square – meaning medical personnel had to double their efforts.
Of the people they attended to, 72 were adults and nine were minors, 39 of them male and 42 females.
During last night’s activities, the majority of assistance was due to excess alcohol, which accounted for 39% of the total cases attended to. The rain, which started in the early hours of the night, also led to several falls, with 26 people treated for various injuries by healthcare professionals.
Overall, the night was relatively calm, although one case of aggression against a police officer was reported, along with 17 instances of common illnesses unrelated to the Carnival. Health resources took seven people to hospitals for diagnostic tests or more specialised care.
The preventive and healthcare services also include resources for younger attendees managed by the Spanish Red Cross, working in coordination with the Local Police unit assigned to the Prosecutor's Office for Minors.
This police unit recorded and analysed data from eleven minors, seven of whom were males. In this age group, 54% were attended to due to underage drinking, while the remaining cases involved three instances of common illnesses, one trauma, and one from a fight. The ages of the assisted teenagers ranged between 16 and 17 years old.
Both Local and National Police officers conducted patrols throughout Carnival Square, addressing various situations and coordinating with the other emergency services. Only one arrest was reported, involving a male who assaulted one of the police officers.
At the Violet Point, located inside the Carnival Hospital, the staff managing this area did not receive any reports of sexual assaults but remained available for any inquiries or actions.
All in all, personnel from the Local Police, National Police, Tenerife Fire Consortium, Santa Cruz Civil Protection Volunteer Group (supported by the Güímar group), and healthcare professionals from the Spanish Red Cross worked together. They were all coordinated from the Advanced Command Post (ACP) located at the Carnival Hospital in Plaza General Gutiérrez Mellado in Santa Cruz.
