In a bid to create awareness on the essence of Emergency Toll-Free lines, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, has kicked off, its three-day road show.

According to LASEMA, the agency’s toll-free lines are one one two/ seven six seven for emergency and disaster intervention.

Its General Manager, Adesina Tiamiyu harped on the significance of the emergency toll-free numbers, saying government was ready to ensure adequate and timely response to any form of Emergency/Security incidents in any part of the state.

Tiamiyu said between eighty to one hundred thousand calls were received by the agency on a daily basis, with less than twenty-five actionable calls daily.

According to him, the sensitisation was to show the huge investment made by Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode in upgrading the sector’s facilities.

He said a Command and Control Centre was built to receive distress calls ranging from incidents of road accident, fire outbreak, collapsed building, rape, child abuse, domestic violence cases, and other forms of criminal incidences .

“We are going round Lagos-West Senatorial District today, we will move to Lagos Central; we want to ensure we touch all the nooks and crannies of Lagos.

“The awareness will help to sensitise the public on safety and emergency issues, and the use of the emergency toll-free number for necessary steps and attend to avoid emergencies, which most times lead to unnecessary loss of valuable lives and properties worth millions on naira,” he said.

Taimiyu advised people to desist from sending false messages and calls to the Emergency Call Centre to avoid creating panic and unnecessary tension in the state.

He said that necessary sanctions would be taken against such hoax calls and messages.

The general manager advised parents and guardians to monitor their children on the usage of the emergency toll-free numbers and social networks, saying that these facilities should be used strictly for emergency purposes.

“The code number 112 is limited to Lagos and some bordering communities in Ogun; 112 is popular, but we want to get it deeper into the heart of our mothers, fathers, uneducated and labourers, who don’t know about these numbers,” he said.

Part of the side attractions during the road show was the exhibition of some trucks and intensive care unit ambulances.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-government Relations, Adebumi Adekanye said the road show was to catch the attention of people at the grassroots, now that the weather was changing gradually.

“We want to go through the nooks and crannies, especially as the ’ember’ months are here, and the change of weather from rainy to the harmattan season.

“We don’t need to have credit on our phones; just call 112/767 to report any case of emergency or disasters, and we will be there in no time.

“This movement is more for the artisans, the elderly and the young ones, to nip emergency in the bud, not just to prevent but to fight and mitigate,” Adekanye said.