The fleet of rescue and emergency equipment of the Lagos State
Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) yesterday received a boost with the procurement of additional power bikes, rescue ram, cutters, combi tools and concrete cutters, among others provided to aid emergency interventions.
Speaking at the unveiling of the new equipment at the LASEMA Response Unit office, Cappa, Oshodi, the Commissioner, Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr Seye Oladejo, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry , Dr Jemilade Longe, explained that the new pieces of equipment were meant to increase the agency’s operational efficiency.
Oladejo added that the huge investment of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in emergency response was a way of sending signals to investors that the city of Lagos was safe and responsive to emergency issues that can be compared to what was obtainable in the developed world.
The commissioner said that the procurement of the equipment was to enable officials get to accident victims early enough to give them the necessary assistance.
“We have noticed that when people get trapped in vehicles during accidents and emergency, responders are on ground at the emergency scene. The absence of these pieces of equipment that would enable them break into the affected vehicle to rescue the victims usually render the whole rescue operation meaningless, and the efforts of the LASEMA team would amount to nothing at that point in time,” he said.
The General Manager of LASEMA, Mr Adesina Tiamiyu, added that the procurement of the equipment affirmed the resolve of Gov Ambode to periodically increase the fleet of the agency’s equipment.
According to Tiamiyu, “The procurement of the pieces of equipment at this point cannot be over-emphasised as the need to provide proper extrication and timely rescue to trapped victims in any form of life-threatening incidents such as collapsed building and road traffic accident are pivotal to the agency’s personnel in conducting these onerous tasks during emergency intervention.”
