The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA has said that its capacity to respond to emergency situations on waterways would soon receive a boost as the Agency is in the process of procuring two Rescue and Ski boats to aid its response time on the Lagos Lagoon.
The General Manager of the Agency, Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, who made this known on Thursday at a Retreat for officials of the Agency with the theme: “Building a Resilient Mega City – Role of LASEMA”, explained that the Agency is increasing her capacity at expanding its presence on the waterways in order to be more responsive to the peculiar nature of such incidents in the State.
According to him, water rescue equipment such as ski boats would make it possible for divers to improve response time to emergencies, adding that LASEMA is also in the process of re-organising existing Local Emergency Management Committee to become first responders to incidents at the grassroots before the arrival of LASEMA and others.
According to him, “The intention of this initiative is to continue to save as many lives as possible. In essence, we are harnessing every available window to increase our surveillance and ability to swiftly respond to several emergencies when they occur.”
“LASEMA started from a single dispatch point in Alausa, Ikeja in 2008. As we speak, we have fully-equipped three dispatch centres in different locations across the State, which includes LASEMA Response Unit Cappa, Oshodi, and the Lekki Dispatch Centre. We are not stopping there because three additional centres would be added to the Agency before the end of the year”, Tiamiyu added.
Speaking against the backdrop of several commendations the Agency received in recent times, the General Manager stated that the accolades make it more compelling for the emergency responders to re-strategise on how to meet the numerous challenges and expectations of Lagosians in emergency situations.
He explained that the retreat would afford officials of the Agency to deliberate on salient issues that will improve the capability of the officers to provide efficient rescue services such that the agency would not be left behind in the emerging changes in governance in the State.
He said that the Agency has changed from what it used to be in the past to an emergency outfit that cares and empathises with victims of unfortunate incidents even while carrying out their rescue work.
“We want our officers in addition to doing their jobs effectively to also help lessen the burden and pains of people who are traumatised by sad occurrences or misfortunes”, the General Manager declared.
