A sudden glaze of ice across the Czech capital forced the city’s emergency medical service to activate a special crisis plan on Tuesday morning, as dispatchers were overwhelmed by a rapid wave of injury reports.
The Prague Emergency Medical Service (ZZS HMP) declared a “non-injury trauma plan” shortly before 9:00 a.m. This is a measure typically reserved for mass casualty events, but in this case, it was triggered by the sheer volume of individual accidents occurring simultaneously across the city.
Between midnight and the early morning hours alone, paramedics recorded 48 injuries directly linked to the slippery conditions. By 11:30 a.m., that number had more than doubled to approximately 100 patients. The majority of cases involved pedestrians suffering fractures, head trauma, or back injuries after falling on untreated sidewalks.
“We urge citizens to be extremely cautious,” the service stated in a public advisory. “Walk slowly, choose footwear with non-slip soles, and avoid icy sections if possible.”
To manage the influx, the medical operations center was staffed to its maximum capacity of 12 operators. The service also deployed six additional paramedic crews and a first responder unit to the streets. The Prague Firefighters joined the effort, dispatching their own ambulance crew to assist the strained medical teams.
While the emergency trauma plan was deactivated at 11:28 a.m. as the initial surge stabilized, officials noted that the casualty figures released are a snapshot from earlier in the day. With freezing conditions persisting in shaded areas, the final number of ice-related accidents is expected to be significantly higher by evening.
Emergency rooms across the capital remain under pressure, and residents are advised to limit travel where possible until conditions improve.
Leave a Reply