CHRISTMAS crackers, festive meals and backyard cricket will be enjoyed by many families tomorrow.
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The region’s emergency service teams, however, will still be on the clock and ready to keep people safe and healthy over the festive season.
Warracknabeal’s Sergeant Kylie Kewell has been a police officer for 12 years and has worked eight Christmas shifts.
Sergeant Kewell said the rosters are arranged to help staff spend a short time with their families on Christmas.
“I always try to give people with younger children the mornings off and those with the older children the afternoons off. Sometimes it doesn’t work out, but we try our best,” she said. “But, at the station we try and make the day as festive as we can.”
Sergeant Kewell said the Christmas shift varied each year, but it was common for the daytime to be quiet.
Over the Christmas period and into the new year, she said police will be out in full-force targeting drug and drink driving, fatigue and speeding.
“We want to make sure everyone gets to their families safe,” she said.
Ambulance Victoria Horsham senior team manager Paul Burton will also be working Christmas Day with eight other paramedics on the clock.
“Missing out is the reality of shift work and an inherit part of the role, which we accept when entering the field,” he said.
Despite being on duty, he said there will be opportunities for people to go home and visit family and friends.
Country Fire Authority District 17 operations manager Craig Brittain said fire crews never stop over the festive season.
“Our office is closed, but our emergency side are on call regardless of the day,” he said. “We don’t get to stop. We enjoy our breaks, the Christmas festivities and the valuable time with family and friends, but if a situation comes up where we have to respond then our services will as per normal.”
Hospital staff will also work on Christmas.
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