Latest update April 20th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 18, 2016 News
-persons can now dial ‘912’ for fire and medical help
Although a national Emergency Medical Service (EMS) programme was years in the making, it was officially launched in about one hour yesterday at a ceremony held at Project Dawn, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.
The programme is essentially one that will allow for the emergency responses of the Guyana Fire Service and the Public Health Sector to be merged.
While people have over the years been able to dial 912 to report a fire and 913 to report medical emergencies, they can now dial a single number – 912 – to access both services.
The operational hub of the EMS programme will be at Project Dawn.
It is anticipated that in the near future the service will include the 911 response of the Guyana Police Force. This is according to the visionary behind the venture, Dr. Zulfikar Bux, the EMS Medical Director.
The merged EMS programme will officially roll-out on Monday, according to Dr. Bux, who delivered remarks at yesterday’s ceremony. “If you need help in a fire or a medical emergency 912 is the number to call,” said Dr. Bux as he related that the programme will be introduced in phases.
But it is expected that within five years the entire nation will be able to benefit from the EMS programme. “We are asking members of the public to cooperate with us and understand that we will not be able to meet the needs of the (entire) system at this point in time.
“It is very new, it is in a phase where we are trying to ensure that we get everything right so that when we do become a full national system we wouldn’t have to go back to the planning table and say these are the mistakes that are being made,” said Dr. Bux.
He, moreover, insisted yesterday that “the onus is on both the medical and fire (entities) to get it right and we will get it right…the commitment is there and we will get it right over time,” the Medical Director assured.
Bringing the EMS programme to fruition saw a great deal of collaboration between Dr. Bux and the Fire Service. However, Dr. Bux disclosed that there was immense support forthcoming from the Vanderbilt Medical Centre in the United States. A key player who also helped to ensure the programme materialise was Mr. Ron Morris, the Chief Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
The medical response aspect of the programme will see the utilisation of three ambulances that will have trained EMTs on board to render emergency services. A total of 90 EMTs have been trained to be a part of the programme.
Speaking at yesterday’s ceremony, too, was Chief Fire Officer, Mr. Marlon Gentle, who noted that while there was a previous attempt to offer an efficient national response programme, the existing collaboration between the Ministries of Public Health and Public Security through the Guyana Fire Service is better poised to meet the emergency needs of the nation.
“As we embrace this launch here today, the Guyana Fire Service is cognizant of its role and its role has not been changed – the preservation of life and the protection of life and property from destruction by fire, dealing with other disaster related emergencies and of course aiding the sick and the injured,” Gentle noted.
He said that the “re-branded” service will take into consideration all the facets of what is necessary for emergency response and to ensure that “whenever we do this we embrace international best practices and also be able to deliver that public good to the expectation of the public and also to the satisfaction of the persons who will be the recipient of this service.” Gentle said, too, that the Fire Service has already procured two more ambulances that are likely to arrive in Guyana by early next year to boost the EMS programme.
The launch was graced by both the Ministers of Public Health and Public Security, Dr. George Norton and Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan.
Minister Norton described the programme as a significant step for Guyana. He pointed out that the programme has long been recognised as a need since a national emergency response programme could help to save many lives. But according to the Public Health Minister since the programme cannot immediately reach the length and breathe of Guyana, “We must start from somewhere. For now the ambulances will be placed in areas of dense population.”
This, the Minister said, will translate to ambulances being available to cater to areas from Craig, East Bank Demerara, to Mon Repos on the East Coast of Demerara and all those within Georgetown.
Explaining the EMS process, the Minister said that when members of the public dial the 912 number they will be interviewed by an operator who will find out about the nature of the emergency after which an ambulance will be dispatched with trained EMTs. And Minister Norton emphasised yesterday, “I must say that I am impressed with the 90 persons who have been trained and who will be responsible for medical control of these cases that are being brought by ambulances to health institutions.”
Given the importance of EMS, the Public Security Minister, Ramjattan, yesterday disclosed that within six or seven minutes of hearing of the programme he was prepared to endorse it.
This is in light of the fact, he said, that “the world is becoming a little bit more complex, a little bit more sophisticated, (and) to meet the demands of that new world.. Guyana too has to become a little more complex and sophisticated.”
In so doing, he stressed the need to have in place a brigade of skilled persons to render assistance in not only that which was the original intent, that is, the response to fire or persons involved in motor or other accidents, but also sophisticated enough to ensure that their chances of survival and better recovery would be greater.
It was disclosed, yesterday, that fire service officers will be tasked with driving the EMS ambulances in addition to Lance Smith who is the lone trained EMT qualified to do so.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
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