IBADAN – The Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Mr Osita Chidoka, says the National Community Post Crash Care Initiative is to make use of volunteers to provide on-the-spot quality care for victims of road traffic crashes.
Chidoka said this in Ibadan on Thursday when he declared open a two-day training programme for 60 volunteers selected from accident-prone communities in Oyo State.
He said: “Members of the accident-prone communities are usually the first to arrive at any crash scene, but in the process of helping out, they worsen the situation of the victims.
“They injure the victims the more because they are not trained to offer first aid treatment; but with this initiative, it will help them to improve on what they have been doing before now.
“Their level of assistance will increase, and thereby, go a long way in reducing mortality.’’
He, however, advised the volunteers to be mindful of their new responsibilities.
“Please comport yourself appropriately and ensure that you make honesty your watch word because it remains the greatest asset of the FRSC,’’ he added.
Chidoka was represented at the occasion by Corps Commander Ibrahim Abubakar, the Head of Special Marshals Department, Abuja.
Earlier, Mr Godwin Ogagaoghene, the Oyo State Sector Commander, said that the volunteers were drawn from Oluyole, Egbeda and Atiba/Ogbomosho Local Government Areas of the state.
“Although our target is to get to a crash scene within a maximum time of 15 minutes, but this is often difficult because we are not spread out all over the country.
“I am, however, optimistic that with this initiative, more lives would actually be saved through prompt and professional care,” he said.
The initiative is being sampled first in two states in each of the nation’s six geo-political zones. (NAN)
