“The event staff on duty at the BW and RV festivals did a great job at times under very trying circumstances, particularly during the mayhem at the BW camp on New Year’s Eve.
“They were in the firing line, along with police, as they tended to the injured,” Mr Clapperton said.
Officers treated more than 80 people as a result of that incident.
“My road staff were also very busy ?over the five days and they worked hard to maintain patient care.”
Emergency workers who dealt with the injured during the BW camp disorder have also been praised by Tairawhiti District Health acting chief executive Sonia Gamblen.
“St John and staff at the city medical centres did a fantastic job.
“They dealt effectively with a large number of injuries.”
While the number of people treated by the hospital’s emergency department staff over the five days of the festivals was not much higher than normal, they did treat a lot of quite serious injuries, she said.
“The majority of those injuries were not related to the festivals.
“Treating people effectively on-site at the festivals meant the hospital ED department was able to give those with serious injuries the care and attention they needed.”
• The 19-year-old man admitted to hospital as a result of the BW incident has been discharged from hospital.
