Prague rescue workers to wear special protective gear on New Year’s Eve

Rescue workers in Prague are to wear special protective gear on New Year’s Eve, a spokesperson said on Wednesday. They will be given cut- and fire-resistant gloves and helmets with visors while some will also receive bullet-proof vests. The city’s rescue services will have around 120 staff on duty for the last shift of the year, including dispatchers. Ambulance teams in the Czech Republic have encountered increased levels of aggression on the part of members of the public in recent years and there have been calls to change their status to public officials, which would mean tougher sentences for attacking them.