Accidents during 'Ember' months caused by human errors - LASEMA

LASEMA

LASEMA officials during the sensitisation road show on Wednesday in Lagos

LASEMA officials during the sensitisation road show on Wednesday in Lagos

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA on Wednesday said accidents and deaths during the ’ember’ months are mostly caused by human errors.

The agency said it was an error from residents and visitors to stop link ‘mysterious’ deaths and accidents to the last quarter of the year, while begging people to make only genuine emergency calls when in need, saying some of the 90,000 calls it receive daily were hoax calls.

General Manager, LASEMA, Adesina Tiamiyu, while speaking during the 2018 safety awareness campaign on the toll free 767 and 112 emergency numbers, said that people die in other months of the year just like ember months.

“The issue of the ember months, you cannot say people do not die in other months too apart from the ember months. The mystery behind that ember months is just the rush of people to make more money they have not made since beginning of the year. There is nothing mysterious about death during ember time. What we are telling Nigerians, is to follow the rules, ensure your vehicle is in good condition, do not drink and drive.

“There is no difference between January and December, it is just the mad rush of people to do things quickly and get better returns. But if we demystify this in our various attitudes to our driving culture, we will have rest of mind. There is no difference in the months of the year, just do the right thing,” Tiamiyu said.

On the emergency calls received by the agency daily, Tiamiyu added: “We receive about 90,000 calls on a daily basis but some are hoax calls. Some people call wanting to test the system, some call and they do not call again while some call to say something happened somewhere, when we get there, we find nothing.

“Please 112 and 767 is for serious calls , do not test the numbers, we have assured you that it works If you do not have any emergency, do not call the number, because if you send us on a wild goose chase, when those who actually need our help call, you would have taken us away from when help should get to them on time. Emergency call is serious call, when it comes to that call centre, be prepared that people will come and help you.”

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According to him, the agency was prepared for any emergency during ember months, saying that all the relevant stakeholders were ready to manage any form of emergency, adding that the agency would soon be stationed in some strategic places across the state.

LASEMA officials during the road show

“All emergency responders, ambulance team, fire service, task force, the Red Cross, the National Emergency Management Agency, among other stakeholders will make some stop over in strategic areas,” he said.

Tiamiyu appealed o residents not to take risks and not result to self-help, as emergency work in the state was free from the point of call to the point responders rendered help.

He said “there is nothing disturbing anybody from calling, even when you do not have money on your phone, it is as free as that and that is the message we are taking to Lagosians today.”

On suicide, the LASEMA boss advised Nigerians to be courageous despite the harshness of the economy, saying that “I want to give courage to Nigerians, please let us be courageous; that we will make it. Within this same bad economy climate, companies are rising up, things are getting better.

“It is even biblically wrong to kill oneself, nobody owns that life, we are only custodians of that life in trust for God who deposited it our bodies. It is nothing good for anybody to take his life, no matter the condition you are going through, please talk to people , do not allow depression to force you into committing suicide.”

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