Festivities put aside for another working day

Constable Nigel Stewart, Hawkes Bay Police.

"I am working just general duties on the front line on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, starting at 10pm to 7am the next day and I will just be doing regular duties patrolling areas and going to whatever job arises.

"The night shift isn't usually too much of a busy one because people are festive and happy. I have only worked one Christmas before in all the years I have been doing this.

"That Christmas I was on the early shift which is just a few hours and I think there was just one car crash and that was it for the whole shift.

"It was a minor car crash with no injuries and it was a very quiet shift so I am not really knowing what to expect this Christmas.

"During the day itself I will have to have a break in the middle so I can catch up on some sleep. I will spend the morning with my family and then catch up with other family in the afternoon then catch up on some sleep.

"I enjoy the old Christmas festivities and carols like anyone else, I'm a bit old school when it comes to that and spending time with family but at the other times of year it's just part of the shift so it's not too bad."

Nurse Sharon Payne, Hawke's Bay Hospital Emergency Department

"I'll be on call this year so if it gets really busy I will go in and help. Usually on Christmas you get a lot of adults in the morning that have tried out their kids' new toys like skateboards and trampolines and they kind of fall off and injure themselves.

"In the afternoon you tend to get a lot of kids in with stomach upsets and vomiting, usually from not drinking enough water, so we like to remind parents to remember to make sure their kids are drinking enough fluids.

"In the evening we get a lot of domestic violence and just people beating up each other.

"Unfortunately, we have had some pretty tragic Christmas Days over the years. We have car accidents where people have died and kids that have been knocked off their bikes."

"Last Christmas I have to say was really, really busy in the later part of the day ... it just got busier and busier and busier with just lots of things.

"It's always difficult working out who's going to work on Christmas, we are lucky that we get some people who volunteer. We try and work around family and working, you have to balance it so you have time with your family and work, we also try and split the shifts up a bit more.

"We have put on a little extra staff this year if it does get busy, but then it's finding that balance so you can have as few people as possible that have to work but also having enough staff.

"The thing about Emergency Department staff is if things get bad and you ring up, everyone is really willing to come in and help and I think that is a really important part of our job. I just request that everybody enjoys themselves but keeps themselves safe."