On a cold October night in the center of Stavanger, night owl Arild Gabrielsen comes upon an unconscious young woman of 21 years. She is behind a wall, right in the center, but no one else has noticed her. The woman has taken an overdose and is being picked up by an ambulance. – Every single situation like this is one too many, says Gabrielsen, who has been a night owl for five years. Increase in the number of serious incidents There has been a sharp increase in the number of incidents with the Night Owls from 2022 to 2023. In Stavanger they had to call an ambulance four times as many times in 2023 compared to 2022. Hege Kverneng performs first aid on Heine Fawcett before they go night owl . The routines are new to be better equipped for what meets them in the city. Photo: Jakub Krzysztof Spadlo / news Almost half of the times they called an ambulance, it was an overdose. – When we call an ambulance, we are talking about very serious situations. Eleven of the incidents are overdose situations. This is serious, says Hege Kverneng, leader of the Night Owls in Stavanger. This concerns people who are completely unconscious, or pass in and out of consciousness until healthcare personnel arrive. And 2024 doesn’t start any better, according to her. The trend is more drugs and youth crime. And those who need help are getting younger. The police are concerned that youth crime is increasing sharply in the country. In Stavanger, Byterminalen has become a problem area, where a lot of youth crime takes place. This is connected with the development the Night Owls are seeing. Trends in all the big cities A round of calls news has made shows that the situation is felt to be quite similar in the Natteravnene in Oslo, Kristiansand and Bergen. Many report that they see more mixed intoxication among young people. – We see much of the same here, and we have a much higher incidence of driving to the emergency room, confirms Lars Norbom, general secretary of Natteravnene Oslo. Egil Paulsen in the Natteravnrådet sees more aggressiveness in the city. In addition, he is concerned that what used to be metropolitan trends is now also happening in urban Norway. – We really need sober adults out there now, says Paulsen. The new normal The development means that the overdose spray Naloxone is always in the bag when the Natteravnene go out in the center of Stavanger, and they practice first aid before each trip. This was not the case when the Night Ravens were to “raven” just one year ago. – We call it the new normal. A little seriousness has come over us in relation to what we can face. We bring different equipment than we used to, says Hege Kverneng, and refers to the overdose spray and compresses to stop heavy bleeding. Arild Gabrielsen does not like the development he sees in the city center after five years as a night owl. He shared his concerns with the Stavanger mayor at the weekend. Photo: JAKUB KRZYSZTOF SPALDO / news In Stavanger, they would rather see the numbers go the other way. – What has happened now is that we are getting more and more of the situations we would rather be without. It worries me, says Kverneng. Arild Gabrielsen has been a night owl for five years and sees a clear development: Before, they saw more people who were drugged in the city. Now several of the situations are self-inflicted, and this includes increasingly younger young people. Kverneng believes that the work the Night Owls do has an effect on demanding situations. – We notice that the situation is easing. Young people come to us and ask for help when something has happened. We are important to the city, she says. At the weekend, Stavanger mayor Sissel Knutsen Hegdal (H) was able to join the Natteravnene. She is worried about what they are telling. – Here it is very important that we go through which measures we can implement. And this applies to a small proportion of our young people, she emphasises. Sissel Knutsen Hegdal praises the Night Owls for the work they do for Stavanger municipality and its residents. Photo: JAKUB KRZYSZTOF SPALDO / news Lots of handsome young people too The night owls Kvernberg and Gabrielsen are keen to convey that they also see a lot of good in the city. They see people who look after each other, they meet positive young people and a lot of warmth on their rounds. – The big picture is that it is mostly nice to meet young people, says Kverneng. But: – We need each other in the city to turn this around. Hege Kverneng, general manager of the Natteravnene in Stavanger, shows the equipment they now have to pack before going out on the town. Photo: JAKUB KRZYSZTOF SPALDO / news
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In 2023, the Night Owls experienced a sharp increase in violence and overdoses – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
