LAHORE: Punjab Emergency Service (PES) rescued 189,149 victims while responding to 196,509 emergencies across Punjab during the month of October, 2024 while maintaining an average response time of 8-minute by the Ambulance Service and 4-minute by the Motorbike Rescue Service in urban areas of Punjab.

The Fire Service responded to 1758 fire incidents and saved losses worth Rs3.3 billion by timely response and professional fire-fighting. Rescue 1122 not only saved humans but also rescued 1140 animals during previous month.

The Secretary, Emergency Services Department (ESD), Punjab Dr Rizwan Naseer reviewed the emergency operational performance and expressed serious concern over 43,197 road traffic crashes, 983 electrocutions, 65 drowning emergencies and 47 structural collapse incidents during October, 2024.

As per data, total 196,509 emergencies responded by Rescue Service in last month. Out of total emergencies 128,272 were medical emergencies, 43,197 were road traffic accidents, 4,101 crime incidents, 4,863 falls/ slip, 1,758 fire incidents, 5,306 delivery cases, 2,094 occupational injuries, 983 electric shock, 1,140 animal rescue operations, 284 burn cases, 65 drowning incidents, 47 structural collapses and 4,399 miscellaneous operations in Punjab. The data further revealed that 336 people died in 43,197 Road Traffic Crashes in Punjab during the last month. Out of these traffic accidents, the majority of traffic accidents 8,889 occurred in Lahore in which 29 people died.

Similarly, 3,082 RTCs in Faisalabad, 2,682 RTCs in Multan, 2,414 in Gujranwala, 1,542 in Rawalpindi and 1,525 in Sheikhupura while the remaining 23,063 accidents took place in 31 districts of Punjab. Similarly, the majority of fire incidents took place in major districts i.e., 348 incidents in Lahore, 130 in Faisalabad 83 in Multan, 77 in Rawalpindi, 76 in Okara and 72 in Sheikhupura.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024