King’s Day in Amsterdam saw ‘unmanageable’ surge in emergency calls
Emergency medical services in Amsterdam were overwhelmed on King’s Day as the number of incoming calls became “unmanageable,” leaving dozens of urgent reports unassigned to ambulances, according to an internal evaluation by Ambulance Amsterdam obtained by local broadcaster AT5.
The report describes the evening of April 27, when celebrations escalated across the city. By 9:30 p.m., Amsterdam’s emergency dispatch center had 20 urgent calls waiting for an ambulance. Within 30 minutes, that number rose to 30. “That is not safe care,” the internal evaluation states.
After 10 p.m., the situation reportedly worsened to the point where even forming a general picture of conditions became impossible. According to the report, this typically means the situation is too hectic to monitor effectively. Around that time, dispatchers also had to respond to a stabbing incident in which one person was seriously injured.
The Ambulance Amsterdam service has reportedly seen a rising trend in emergency deployments on King’s Day. In 2023, the service responded to 271 emergency calls. That number rose to 306 in 2024 and spiked to 403 this year.
Despite increasing the number of operators on shift that night, the emergency call center was critically understaffed relative to demand. “The dispatchers were severely overburdened,” the report notes. “Even with more personnel than usual, the capacity was still insufficient. The feeling of being unable to help everyone must have been incredibly frustrating. This shift placed a heavy strain on the staff. They hope never to experience such an unmanageable situation again.”
The report also criticizes the effectiveness of city policy and public messaging. A citywide appeal by the municipality to avoid traveling to Amsterdam had “no effect whatsoever” on the functioning of emergency services, according to Ambulance Amsterdam.
“It’s too easy to place the burden of the problem solely on the emergency services,” the evaluation warns. The report emphasizes that “there were too many people, too much alcohol available,” and an alarming number of minors who required medical attention. One of the evaluation’s central conclusions asks whether the ambulance service should continue dedicating this level of capacity to support public health risks stemming from “excessive alcohol and drug use.”
The municipality also came under sharp scrutiny. “It had long been clear that good weather and large crowds were expected,” the evaluation states. “There was insufficient anticipation of this. The city of Amsterdam allows unlimited partying.” The report further alleges that municipal authorities failed to take proactive steps despite knowing in advance that King’s Day would likely draw overwhelming crowds.
A photograph accompanying the evaluation shows a sunny street scene along an Amsterdam canal, where large crowds dressed in orange surround a parked ambulance in the middle of the street.
In a public statement responding to the evaluation, Ambulance Amsterdam clarified that the findings were based on a staff questionnaire and internal review. The organization confirmed that no official emergencies were declared during the day, but it described the situation as “highly undesirable.” The service emphasized the need to ensure that “everyone who needs care can receive it and that our colleagues are not overburdened in their work.”
