December rush: NEMA deploys MICU’s, RRV’s to strategic FCT routs

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said its deploying four Mobile Intensive Care Unit Ambulances (MICU) and two Multi-hazard Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV) to strategic locations around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for efficient and effective responses to emergencies that could emanate from Road Traffic Accidents (RTA’s) as citizens travel around the country this December.

Head of NEMA Abuja Operations Office, Mr. Bitrus Samuel, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at the stakeholders experience sharing exercise on casualty handling in road traffic accident in the “Ember Months” organised by NEMA as part of its proactive stance towards Disaster Risk Management.

According to Samuel, the strategic locations include Gwagwalada/Lokoja Mararaba/Keffi and Zuba/Kaduna-Tarfa axis of the FCT.

He noted the rise on road traffic accidents  caused by avoidable instances, stating that the major causes are speed violations, tyre burst and dangerous driving.

“It is a common knowledge that during the months of September-December (Ember months) every year, we experience rapid increase in movement of people from one part of the country to the other especially on our roads to attend to one festivity or the other. This mass movement of people often lead to frequent Road Traffic Accidents (RTA’s) leading to loss of lives, injury and property loss.

“Deaths from RTA’s continue to rise, usually heightened around festive seasons particularly Christmass, most of these deaths are quite needless if only road users drive according to the rules. This factor is quite pertinent, according to the National Bureau for Statistics (NBS), speed violations is the major cause of road traffic crashes, next to tyre burst, dangerous driving, poor road comditions and technical issues related to the vehicle,” he said.

“From our experiences in emergency response, another salient reason for the high fatality recorded from RTA’s can be attributed to the initial assistance/help provided to the victims by members of the public or by first responders,” he added.

Samuel therefore stressed the need for additional capacities in casualty handling including a close collaboration among key responder agencies so as to ensure an accident free season of celebrations.

He further urged citizens who do not possess requisite knowledge or capabilities to give the right kind of help when accidents occur to be careful so as not to fall victims.

“Often, accident scenes are chaotic without any form of coordination, this furtjer endangers the victims and put the initial responders to dangers. The assistance rendered is always not a skilled one except in a few cases where luckily a medic or paramedic is present at the scene of the incident.

“Sometimes from observation, some first responders do not possess the requisite skills to give appropriate attention to the casualty and this act of kindness have sometimes sent some people to an early grave or one form of disability,” he stressed.

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