Time we upped our emergency response skills

On Thursday, a road crash involving a Pwani University bus and a matatu occurred on the Naivasha-Nakuru highway. Several lives were lost and more than 50 people sustained injuries ranging from mild to severe.

It took a little longer for the first ambulance to arrive at the scene. Good Samaritans ferried the injured to hospital. 

It is said most people lose their lives not due to injuries sustained but through how they are handled during a rescue.

A number of permanent spinal injuries result from poor handling of the victims of such a crash. Transporting the victim to a hospital using a private car is unsafe.

Everybody in Kenya should access an ambulance within 10 minutes. Call standards for a fire engine and an ambulance should be improved.

Most emergencies require a swift response; time is always of the essence in such a case. Ambulances should be well positioned to access needy cases in good time. As a citizen, you should have telephone contacts for first responders; that can prove vital during an emergency.

Sometimes an accident occurs, people panic and nobody remembers to contact an emergency response department. Or those at the scene have to seek ambulance contacts from third parties.

Acquire enough ambulances

The national government should support counties to acquire enough ambulances. At least every sub-county hospital should have a well-serviced and adequately equipped ambulance. 

There is also a considerable need for counties to invest in firefighting equipment. Training the general public in First Aid and basic firefighting skills is imperative. 

This goes to the general public: You should always respect and pave the way for emergency vehicles on the road. For instance, if you encounter a fire engine or an ambulance with a beacon and siren on, try as much as possible to give way.

Mr Morungi is a disaster management expert. [email protected]. @MorungiDouglas