The Saint Lucia Fire Service (SLFS) has reported a sharp spike in responses to road accidents and other emergencies for January this year compared to last year.
In January 2024, emergency personnel responded to 62 motor vehicle incidents, accounting for 95 patients.
However, in January this year, responses were to 91 vehicle incidents involving 123 patients.
In addition to road accidents, in January last year, SLFS personnel also made 45 responses to cases of blunt force trauma, 27 to penetrating trauma, and 40 responses to other trauma situations, including burns.
By contrast, there were 49 blunt-force trauma responses in January this year, twenty-one penetrating trauma responses, and 42 responses relating to other trauma cases.
The SLFS also made 695 responses to medical emergencies involving 705 patients in January last year, compared to 753 responses involving 760 patients last month.
Fire Chief Ditney Downes has expressed concern about the frequency of road accidents and the severity of victims’ injuries.
Downes told St. Lucia Times that in addition to impacting the SLFS resources, at times, all the department’s ambulances countrywide are simultaneously engaged in responses.
“So sometimes there is a long waiting period because of the unavailability of an ambulance and it is not because we don’t have the vehicles, but it is due to the frequency of the emergency calls,” the Fire Chief explained.
He reiterated the need for motorists to exercise caution while at the same time urging citizens to seek to settle disputes peacefully, given the frequency of SLFS responses to cases involving blunt force trauma and penetrating wounds.
“Most of these are responses to violent incidents,” Downes noted.
He recalled that the fire service and the police have constantly urged citizens to settle their disputes maturely.
Nevertheless, Downes lamented the people still choose to resort to violence.
