WIT Christmas Day

Sully

So as most of you probably know (or spotted) it was the WIT Christmas Day. An event supported by the college where all the students start there day long drinking session in the Dome student bar at midday and work there way into pubs and clubs in town until closing. An event, which seems to always end in tragedy or serious accidents. Where Ambulance and Gardai are on high alert, probably more then the usual Wednesday student night or weekend nights. As usual, people strolling out onto the street with no sense of danger - ie ignoring cars heading right for them.

Anywho.. was in town with ec18 and two others (non-boardsies!) tonight coming from the Forum (Rory Gallagher tribute band thing). Drove down the usual route past the clubs to see how busy it was. Large crowds of people surrounding the clubs, large ques to enter. Crowds just strolling around, some getting food while some just staring into space. Bit more then your usual Wednesday night!

Just passing Railway Square to spot a group of Gardai giving medical assistance to someone who was clearly passed out. Drink? Probably a factor. Fight? Looked very much like it, since there were a fair few people fighting each other, and one lad had a bloody head, around the Gardai who seemed little interested in arresting these people. Warnings were issued, but the lads didn't care. They continued punching each other. One went that bit to far - the biggest girl out of the group there decided to square up the guard, and was quickly bundled into the back of the van.

The lad on the ground - breathing heavily - was now having seizures, with no sign of an ambulance. Concerned, we decided to update the ambulance. Assuming the Gardai called. Called anyway, to find the girl on the phone to tell me that no ambulance was called. I gave her the details and she said she would send one. For those of you in the medical know-how, you probably know that gardai have only basic first aid. This was shown when they decided to kneel on top of the lad who was having the fit. Correct me if im wrong, but the girl in the car is a first responder and claimed that was incorrect. Getting more concerned, we checked the status on the ambulance. She said they have only one ambulance serving the whole of Waterford (out of two. So, on the busiest night, one ambulance was grounded!) and its "just around the corner".

Time passed, and the guards picked up the lad on the ground and placed him into the van. Two of the people in the car with me (non-boardsies) headed out to tell the guards an ambulance was on its way. They claimed they called the ambulance five times and it still isn't here, so there bringing him to hospital themselves. And so they did, along with the female arrested for trying to fight the guard. Meanwhile, the other lad with a head wound was told to go away or be arrested. Odd, but sure I suppose he was a bit on the drunk side. Oh and we spotted the ambulance as we drove back towards WIT from Railway Square. They were in the Maxol garage, having a break by the looks! Meanwhile.. the guards had to escort a lad to hospital because they couldn't get an ambulance.

So, that's one event that happened tonight. I'm sure we will hear more in next weeks News & Star, or if its anything serious in tomorrow's news. A college supported drinking event, and another incident. Suppose though, this incident would be normal on such nights? I don't go out to the clubs, and if im in town we leave when Jeffs closes.

Was surprised at the amount of **** the cops put up with. Being abused and ignored. Only one arrested at that incident, even though lads were throwing punches at each other! Always knew Waterford had only two Ambulances, but was surprised to see one down and the other in Maxol. Iv always knew the WIT Christmas Day was bad, but this takes the biscuit. Why are the college supporting such an event? Its not even a charity fundraiser anymore!

AdMMM

They support the events in the college, nothing more. They don't say to everyone to go out and drink themselves silly, nor do they have the right to forbid people from doing such a thing. Even if they cancelled Christmas Day, people still would have found it in themselves to drink themselves into oblivion for the day!

I for one wasn't able to go out, I was working on projects which are to be handed up tomorrow morning but I got several calls from people about fights and various other incidents such as people stumbling into Harveys at around 8pm and vomitting all over the counter - lovely!

Sully

Well its an offical college event, as most people get hammered in the Dome before going down town. This associates it with the college, as its an offical college event. To be honest, the college is saying to go out and drink. There is no other event. Christmas Day is nothing but drinking. The college know it, and its been accepted. Thats completely wrong in my opinion.

The head of WIT sent a letter (gold writing!) to all Templers Hall students warning them of there behaviour, basically saying if they cause trouble in Templers the college will discpline them. He basically sent a letter warning students to stop causing trouble in Templers -why? Residents are kicking up a fuss.

Christmas Day is a similar situation, but its accepted. Just seems a bit odd.

c - 13

Looked pretty rough around last night, I was passing Bad Bobs about 6.30 yesterday afternoon and the place was mobbed.

Looked like was there a fight kicking off down closer to the college.

Between there and Norris' corner a minimum of three students stumbled out in front of the car at different times.

I'm glad I wasnt around the town later that night to be honest, christmas day for the college is gone very dangeous to be walking around in.

To be honest though I didnt even like the day when I was in college myself...

run_Forrest_run

I agree with c-13, I never liked that day myself when I was in college either. Any event supported by the college that involves getting boozed up in the Dome is never a good thing, sure that's just feeding a monopoly on WIT premises.

Paddy@CIRL

It's actually just feeding the monopoly of Campus Services at the WIT, a private company whose main aim is profit before students.

Im also another that hates the idea of Christmas day, what a waste. The only event in the city worse is those bloody teen disco's in Oxygen !

Sully

Some of you might remember the past christmas day but when I joined WIT we were told by a lecturer that Christmas Day was never like what it was now. There were more events and charity stuff, but its just gone into a big drinking festival supported by the college!

Just supprised the college can let the riots kick off, putting the emergency services under pressure and possibly delay calls which are more serious, and having so many serious accidents each time - without a fuss. Just seems so strange. The Dome btw, is a private company and I dont think much (if any) goes back to the college.

BBM77

Paddy@CIRL wrote: »

...................The only event in the city worse is those bloody teen disco's in Oxygen !

I was not around town on WIT Christmas day but driving pasted the teenage disco in Oxygen on a Friday night is certainly an eye opener. The girls may as well have a sign around their neck with “take me now” on it. Teenage girls certainly do not have much mystery about them anymore. What kind of parent lets their teenage daughter go out dressed the way a lot of those one’s do? It is shocking how being a teenager has become so sexualized these days.

Sorry, I know that is a bit of the subject.

c - 13

Sully wrote: »

Some of you might remember the past christmas day but when I joined WIT we were told by a lecturer that Christmas Day was never like what it was now. There were more events and charity stuff, but its just gone into a big drinking festival supported by the college!

Just supprised the college can let the riots kick off, putting the emergency services under pressure and possibly delay calls which are more serious, and having so many serious accidents each time - without a fuss. Just seems so strange. The Dome btw, is a private company and I dont think much (if any) goes back to the college.

Well when I started in the college (2002 IIRC) it had already become this pure drinking event, in the first year there I think they attempted to have some activities, sumo suits, bungee run and the like but it didnt seem to attract much attention, everyone just headed to the pub. Its gotten progressively worse since.

At least it passed relatively peacefully this year after the last three went crazy with that girl being raped, the guy going under the truck and the disturbances at templars hall.

Again, I remember there being calls for it to be stopped altogehter but as you point out the Dome is its own company so to the best of my knowledge can only be "advised" not to open.

The college has been trying to distance itself from the event with a while but itskind of hard with everything kicking off with the Dome on campus.

Either way all the clubs/pubs in town see this as the biggest money spinner throughout all the college year (maybe besides rag week) so theres no way they wouldnt put this on.

Sully

I think the Dome can be told not to open, perhaps because there a "student bar" on "WIT Campus" so the college can tell them exactly what to do - in some areas.

Distance itself? Its time they just said "No, we had enough, thanks."

As for the clubs/pubs - at least they open later then the Dome does. Maybe the Council could step in here and try prevent a big drinking fest? Surely something can be done to stop the same mess every year!

c - 13

Sully wrote: »

I think the Dome can be told not to open, perhaps because there a "student bar" on "WIT Campus" so the college can tell them exactly what to do - in some areas.

Maybe this is true, they dont seem to be making any attempts though. Was the security back on the door again this year ?

Sully wrote: »

Distance itself? Its time they just said "No, we had enough, thanks."

Well the most I remember them doing was putting on those drink awareness videos in the Atrium (you know the ones shot in the city ?), and release announcements that class would go on as normal, which it did every year anyway.

Sully wrote: »

As for the clubs/pubs - at least they open later then the Dome does. Maybe the Council could step in here and try prevent a big drinking fest? Surely something can be done to stop the same mess every year!

True they open later but everyone is usually legless by that stage. Yet the still pack them in and feed them more drink - the same can be said about any weekend though I suppose.

dlofnep

brutal hangover ugh

Cabaal

dlofnep wrote: »

brutal hangover ugh

before or after work yesterday

dlofnep

after. i actually didn't have work. i applied for holidays for yesterday but they said i didnt get them, but then when i come in and check my schedule i had them. just as well!

BIG-SLICK-POKER

I was Djin in oxygen last night , Fckin mad ye students it was packed at 9.30 and still full at 2 .. Well behaved i have to say one or two scuffles but i love this day i used go out drinking but now just leave it to the experts all in all .. Fckin mental session

BIG-SLICK-POKER

Sully wrote: »

I think the Dome can be told not to open, perhaps because there a "student bar" on "WIT Campus" so the college can tell them exactly what to do - in some areas.

Distance itself? Its time they just said "No, we had enough, thanks."

As for the clubs/pubs - at least they open later then the Dome does. Maybe the Council could step in here and try prevent a big drinking fest? Surely something can be done to stop the same mess every year!

Dome is a separate Biz to the college same as the hall and the gym its run by auxillary services they will be there to take on a session if its there for the takin

merlante

I'm sure it isin't in the rules that everyone who partakes of this WIT Christmas day absolutely must get paralytic drunk and start fights.

It should be possible to have such a day of celebration without people getting smashed and killing each other. The fact that it isin't has nothing to do with the college, but the individuals who cannot moderate their behaviour. There are no doubt countless students who enjoy the day without drinking any more than they can handle.

WIT should not be run like a creche. If students want to get smashed they should be allowed. Most people on here will probably get smashed a few times over the Christmas, and I'm sure it's not just students that cause fights.

AdMMM

Oh and just to clarify, the day was indeed Charity driven. The Lions Club were the chosen charity this year and donation boxes were placed at every PoS in the college and they had people collecting throughout the day in various places and were selling Christmas hats for €2.

JohnC.

I'm surprised there are only 2 ambulances. I always thought there were more than that.

stick-dan

No there is actually only two ambulance's on call in waterford on the night that was guaranteed to need at least half a dozen with the ongoings of thousands of students descending on the town that was always bound to end up with several casualties. I was one of the onlookers in the car with sully last night(one of the non boarders he mentioned except i joined a few weeks ago) when we came across the lad having a seizure. We did indeed ring an ambulance and it was a complete and utter joke that the gardai had not called for an ambulance. As sully said we did observe the gardai forcefully applying pressure to the young man that was seizuring on the ground...

In my opinion things need to be changed dramatically. I mean to be fair it is basic first aid practice to remove all obstacles from a seizuring persons surrounding so as to ensure their safety and it is definitely common knowledge to NEVER restrain such a person in that state.I found it a complete joke that our gardai whom on a regular basis deal with road-accidents and drunken assaults fail to know the basis procedure to aide a person in need. If you ask me the gardai should be completely trained in first aide as should everyone for that matter...

What was even more appalling was the fact that when we did indeed call an ambulance we were told it was right around the corner dealing with another incident which seemed acceptable with the night that was in it and all and since the second ambulance was currently down. So myself and another non boarder then decided to go over and inform the gardai who were now attempting to lift the man into the gardai van that we had indeed called an ambulance and it was on its way but the gardai proceeded to bring him to hospital which with the circumstances that followed a few minutes later seemed to be the better idea. So after the gardai had left the scene sully proceeded to bring me home and when we were on the way there we came across the ambulance crew "Parked" in the maxol station even though they were supposed to be attending to another incident.

I just found the whole thing very disappointing with regard to the gardai's lack of first aid training and the lack of response from the ambulance. I can honestly say that i am so happy i wasn't that guy on the ground.

Sully

merlante wrote: »

I'm sure it isin't in the rules that everyone who partakes of this WIT Christmas day absolutely must get paralytic drunk and start fights.

It should be possible to have such a day of celebration without people getting smashed and killing each other. The fact that it isin't has nothing to do with the college, but the individuals who cannot moderate their behaviour. There are no doubt countless students who enjoy the day without drinking any more than they can handle.

It also isn't in the rules for students in accommodation to destroy estates, get pissed, cause fights, piss of residents etc. Yet, the college intervenes and threatens students. So that's that theory out the window, to be fair.

WIT should not be run like a creche. If students want to get smashed they should be allowed. Most people on here will probably get smashed a few times over the Christmas, and I'm sure it's not just students that cause fights.

I, nor anyone else, is suggesting that it should. What we are saying is the college is aware that its the same **** every year, they support and encourage the event knowing full well the disaster and consequences it causes each year. Its a college event, so much so they prepare the door with barriers to keep the crowd and security to search all those going in and keep the "peace". We believe that the college should withdraw support for such an event. This may (or may not) reduce the ****. Either way, the college shouldn't support an event like this.

|.Murderer.| wrote: »

Oh and just to clarify, the day was indeed Charity driven. The Lions Club were the chosen charity this year and donation boxes were placed at every PoS in the college and they had people collecting throughout the day in various places and were selling Christmas hats for €2.

Thats nothing compared to what it used to be. They hold those kind of things regularly throughout the year. Most recent one was for aids.

Sully

BIG-SLICK-POKER wrote: »

Dome is a separate Biz to the college same as the hall and the gym its run by auxillary services they will be there to take on a session if its there for the takin

Saying that though, I do think the college gets profit from it and also has a say. I'm sure they could tell the Dome not to hold the Xmas Day event on their grounds.

stick-dan

To be fair seeing as the dome is actually a building on the college campus there is a good chance that it is been leased from the college by the private company just on a purely lease basis so effectively the college would have a say in how it is run in the event that Christmas day was voiding the lease or something like this.

timmywex

are ambulance personal not entitled to a break? they were prob working all night, and re only one being on duty, thats due to lack of staff, some paramedics do 80 hours or more a week and thats just to keep one unit working in an area.

fyi, the new ross unit was dispatched to waterford as back up for the night and the enniscorthy and wexford unit(only on call) took all of wexford and the new ross side of wexford.

Heard it was rough all the same last night.

stick-dan

yes of course the ambulance crew are intitled to a break as they have an extremely stressful job,no-one is disputing that...when we made the phone call to call for an ambulance we were told the ambulance was attending another incident but low and behold there they were in the petrol station which quiet frankly is not an incident ....anyway this is going off track from the thread topic so i'll leave it at that...

timmywex

stick-dan wrote: »

yes of course the ambulance crew are intitled to a break as they have an extremely stressful job,no-one is disputing that...when we made the phone call to call for an ambulance we were told the ambulance was attending another incident but low and behold there they were in the petrol station which quiet frankly is not an incident ....anyway this is going off track from the thread topic so i'll leave it at that...

sorry, i didnt know "they were at a call"

stick-dan

ah yeah no bother maybe i left that out...i'll take the blame for that one but you see what i mean anyway...

Sully

timmywex wrote: »

sorry, i didnt know "they were at a call"

Should it matter anyway? Someone is seriously ill and the ambulance wont attend because its on a break? We didnt know what was happening, but we described your mans injuries and actions which would have indicated something serious was happening. They should have ditched the break and attended!

Anyway, the Waterford Order of Malta should have helped out to save units from other areas being taken.

CantGetNoSleep

The Order of Malta is independently run though, they fund themselves too

If you wanted them you could have called their number

This hard working organisation shouldnt be blamed for problems with our national health service

AdMMM

Sully wrote: »

Should it matter anyway? Someone is seriously ill and the ambulance wont attend because its on a break? We didnt know what was happening, but we described your mans injuries and actions which would have indicated something serious was happening. They should have ditched the break and attended!

Anyway, the Waterford Order of Malta should have helped out to save units from other areas being taken.

How are you so certain they were taking a break? They could very well have been attending an accident in the Ballybeg/Lisduggan area and had to get petrol on their way back.

stick-dan

We know because in order to get petrol or diesel or whatever for that matter an ambulance would hae to be pulled up beside a pump and also not just sitting in the petrol station bay just parked there ...