Rescue 1122 performance reviewed

LAHORE: The Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) rescued 86,381 victims while responding to 86,180 emergencies in last month across the province with an average response time of seven minutes.

Out of 86,180 emergencies, 24,170 road traffic accidents were reported in February in which 232 precious lives were lost. Punjab Emergency Services Director General Dr Rizwan Naseer expressed his serious concern over increasing trend of road traffic accidents as leading cause of deaths during emergencies. He said road traffic accidents could be significantly reduced through an effective enforcement of traffic laws and taking appropriate measures of road safety.

He expressed these views while presiding over a monthly performance review meeting of emergency operations in all 36 districts of Punjab at Emergency Services Headquarters, Thoker Niaz Baig, here on Monday to ensure uniform standards of the Service and smooth services delivery without any discrimination. The DG Rescue (1122) Punjab said millions of lives could be saved by implementing road safety measures. He issued instructions to Rescuers to ensure their physical fitness and maintain cleanliness of all Emergency vehicles and Rescue stations.

Dr Rizwan Naseer said the Service was responding over 850 road traffic accidents in Punjab on daily basis in which average 972 people get injured or disabled daily. He pointed out that around 50 percent accidents could be prevented by adopting safety measures, i.e. driving motorbike in extreme left lane, wearing safety helmet with proper straps, keeping maximum speed less than 50km/h and proper usage of the side mirrors. He requested the citizens and all stakeholders to join hands with Rescue 1122 to reduce accidents. He appealed to the parents that they should fulfil their social responsibility and not allow their underage children to drive motorbikes or cars. The emergency calls to which Rescue 1122 responded to included 24,170 road traffic accidents, 51,326 medical emergencies, 931 fire incidents, 1,712 crimes, 39 drowning incidents, 73 building collapses.