LAHORE, Jan 2: The Punjab Emergency and Ambulance Service, Rescue 1122, has claimed it conducted 16,191 successful operations and rescued 14,269 victims of accidents, emergencies and disasters in 2005.

According to a news release issued on Monday, the service efficiently responded to emergencies, including 7,669 traffic accidents, 425 fire incidents, 37 building accidents and 16 bomb blasts, during the year.

It said the service’s average response time to an emergency was recorded seven minutes. The Rescue 1122 also responded 8,044 emergency calls from homes and hospitals and shifted patients in medical emergencies efficiently.

It claimed the Rescue 1122 also moved closer to its goal of having an effective disaster management infrastructure by 2006. The district emergency officers were imparted rescue training to facilitate the establishment of emergency services in Rawalpindi, Multan, Bahawalpur, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, DG Khan, Sialkot and Murree. The service also recruited faculty for Punjab Emergency Service Academy being established in Lahore.

It said the legislation for Emergency Service Bill was in final stages of enactment, as standing committee had okayed the bill for final reading and voting in the Punjab Assembly.

The service has also procured the latest rescue equipment as well as cameras and life detection sensors to trace the people trapped under collapsed buildings.