The holiday week just passed represented an operational challenge for the ambulance department, which recorded a rise in the number of calls for assistance compared to the previous year. Despite the increase in volume, authorities described the period as “relatively quiet” in the sense that the cases were not of an extreme nature.
According to the figures presented, the year 2026 closed with a total of 110 incidents. This is a notable increase considering that 76 cases were recorded in 2025. This represents an increase of more than 40% in the demand for emergency services during the same period.
Contrary to what many might think, the pressure did not necessarily come from the beaches. Head of the Ambulance Department, Liberato Hoek, explained that incidents in the camping and beach areas were much lower this time. Instead, the trend was focused on:
- Home Assistance: More people fell ill within their own homes, which generated more reports for the services.
- Traffic: There was a slightly higher record of car accidents compared to last year.
A key point in the operation was the team’s capacity. Aruba was covered by three strategic posts: one central post and two satellite posts, allowing for an optimal “coverage degree” (dekkingsgraad) for the entire island.
Thanks to this distribution and a preventive rotation system, a response time of just 5 minutes was maintained for urgent cases (A1). Furthermore, at times when all units were occupied, the Rapid Responder was activated to ensure that no case went unattended.
The success of the operation is also attributed to collaboration with other security agencies:
- Fire Department: Working together in cases where people need to be rescued from cars or patients need to be lowered from the second floor of a building (though the latter was not encountered this season).
- Police Force: A fundamental ally, especially for the safety of the paramedics themselves while attending to situations in the community.
Ambulance Chief Liberato Hoek underlined the importance of good planning and the availability of resources to guarantee the safety of the public during these busy days of Lent