In order to prevent deaths and save lives and property, the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, claims to have slashed its emergency response time from five to three minutes.
This was stated by Florence Wenegieme, Director, Forecasting, Response and Mitigation, FEMA, on Tuesday in Abuja during a campaign to raise awareness of the 2023 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The Bwari Area Council Secretariat in Abuja and the Palace of Esu Sa-Bwaya of Bwari (the Chief of Bwari), Ibrahim Yaro, were the locations of the sensitization.
The sensitisation with the theme, “Fighting Inequality for a Resilient Future for All” began on Oct. 4 across the six Area Councils of the FCT.
Following community structures’ training to act as first responders to emergencies in their respective communities, Mrs. Wenegieme noted that the three-minute reaction time became realistic.
Local divers, emergency vanguards, disaster marshals, town criers, volunteers, as well as other structures like youth and women groups, were among the community structures she named.
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She claimed that through drills and simulations, the community structures had received sufficient training in emergency response, giving them the information and abilities they required.
The director continued by saying that FEMA had also purchased power cycles for agency personnel so they could get through the gridlock in Abuja and arrive at the disaster situation in three minutes.
According to her, emergency management is multisectoral and everyone’s business, including school going age children.
“Community members are usually the first respondents to an emergency because it happens within their community.
“They have been adequately trained to know exactly what to do during emergencies and rescue operations before FEMA officials arrive.
“This quick response will ensure that more lives and properties are saved,” she added.
Mrs Wenegieme explained that the awareness campaign was to ensure that residents identify disaster risk in their respective communities and know how to prevent and mitigate disasters to reduce the impact.
She added that sensitising community members was critical to ensure that no one was left behind during emergencies.
She emphasized in particular the importance of paying attention to vulnerable populations such as children, expectant mothers, the blind, the elderly, and persons residing in disaster-prone areas.
