388,514 rescued in Punjab in 2011

The greatest number of rescue operations was conducted in Lahore (71,699), followed by Faisalabad (31,149).

LAHORE: Over 380,000 people received help from the Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) in 2011, throughout Punjab. The average documented response time was less than seven minutes.

According the end of the year data released by the service 388,514 people were helped in 367,053 operations. The number is up from 369,561 victims in 2010.

Dr Rizwan Naseer, the Punjab Emergency Service director general, said, “There was an increase in the number of avoidable road incidents, which shows that there is a need for cooperation between citizens and law enforcement agencies.”

The Rescue operations included traffic accidents (144,270), medical and other emergencies (194,008), fires (8,360), crime-related calls (17,281), drowning cases (1,008), building collapses (821), explosions (170) and special rescue operations (1,135).

The greatest number of distress calls came from Lahore (71,699), followed by Faisalabad (31,149). The smallest numbers were in Mandi Bahauddin (2,777), Chakwal (2,870) and Jhelum (3,149).

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd,  2012.