The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, has commenced a road show sensitisation programme to counsel residents on the need to be more cautious in their daily activities and adhere to basic safety rules in order to keep at bay the increased level of emergency occurrences.

The General Manager of LASEMA, Mr. Tiamiyu Adesina, who led the awareness campaign that kicked off recently, also urged residents to take advantage of the Lagos State Emergency Toll-Free Lines – 767/112.

He explained that the awareness campaign was embarked upon to further enlighten members of the public on the use of 767 and 112 and also reassure the public of the functionality of the numbers.

Adesina said that the Agency had, over the years, observed the skyrocketing rate of emergency situations towards end of the year across the State and thus decided to increase its sensitisation of the toll-free emergency numbers 767 and 112 as a way of fast-tracking help for residents of the State who might find themselves in one form of distress or the other.

“There is the need for us to demystify the wrong notion popularly attributed to the ember months. While we are aware that there is nothing peculiar or special about this period, we are also mindful of the fact that the rate of emergency occurrences during this period is usually high because people are more desperate and full of anxiety during end of the year; this is why we are appealing to our people to take things easy during this period,” the General Manager appealed.

He assured Lagosians of prompt response to any form of emergency by LASEMA officials in conjunction with all its relevant stakeholders, saying that all the emergency responders now enjoy a better working relationship in bringing succour and respite to people in need.

He revealed that based on greater awareness among Lagosians, the number of calls received by the two major State emergency numbers has increased to about 90,000 on a daily basis.

Adesina pleaded with users of the toll-free emergency numbers to restrict the use of the lines for emergency purposes alone in order give genuine callers the opportunity of accessing the numbers promptly.

Speaking on the preparedness of the Agency to swiftly respond to emergency situations during the yuletide period, the General Manager stated that the Agency had already mapped out plans to occupy some major areas across the State with its equipment and officials, saying “we are practically relocating our offices to the streets of Lagos”.

“I appeal to residents of the State in general not to lose hope, regardless of the situation of this country; people should not allow depression to set into their lives. We have a lot of people that have risen from grass to grace because they did not lose hope. Anyone going through one challenge or the other should confide in someone; they should seek help and not be silent” he counselled.