Inside the ambulance: Newshub's ride-along on New Year's Eve

Hundreds of extra emergency service staff were rostered on to assist with drunken New Year mayhem across the country.

Ambulance call-outs in central Auckland spiked between 10pm and 2am on Tuesday, with 80 incidents.

Newshub was there as the chaos unfolded.

One woman found herself in hospital before the night even started, chipping a tooth after falling from a Lime scooter while trying to show off to her friend.

"Do not go on a Lime scooter because this is what happens," she joked afterwards.

She didn't need an ambulance, but New Year's Eve is the busiest night of the year for St John. One worker told Newshub to expect to see more accidents like hers.

"Alcohol and Lime scooters do not mix," intensive care paramedic Simon Barnett said.

Crews battled against traffic and Lime scooters to get to jobs. On Monday night the number of ambulance call-outs across the country had tripled, but everything came to a brief standstill as the fireworks went off.

It was certainly brief. Immediately after midnight, the chaos kicked off again.

Graphic showing the number of callouts through the night on New Year's Eve. At 6pm, there were 10 incidents. At midnight it rose to 18, peaking at 20 at 2am.
Photo credit: Newshub.

At 6pm the incidents attended in urban Auckland sat at 10. At midnight they'd risen to 18 and at 2am, peaked at 20.

Bottles were thrown and fights broke out - while other partygoers instead opted to get friendly with Newshub cameraman Tom.

Despite the chaos, Mr Barnett said he enjoyed working on New Year's Eve.

"This job is really rewarding, we go to people at their time of need and as much as we see some pretty traumatic things, we also see the value."

St John told Newshub ambulance officers in Auckland were verbally abused last night, but there was nothing physical.

Ambulance staff helping a woman lying on the ground.
Photo credit: Newshub.

However Mr Barnett said that's not always the case and some jobs are traumatic for staff.

"I vividly remember going to this address to a medical event and was surprised by someone who physically tried to assault us. We had to run out of the house."

They said most revellers were in good spirits as they saw in the New Year last night - but for others, their night ended in flashing lights.

Newshub.