Wednesday morning in Port Moresby turned chaotic as the ambulance service raced to respond to three separate motor vehicle collision incidents across the city occurring at ATS, 8-Mile, and Vadavada.
These unfortunate events resulted in varying degrees of injuries among those involved.
A fleet of five ambulances accompanied by a paramedic response vehicle hurried to the scenes to provide urgent medical assistance. At ATS and 8-Mile, ambulance crews attended to injured individuals.
However upon reaching Vadavada, responders found no patients requiring medical attention.
Amidst the chaos, a critical incident unfolded when a PMV collided with an ambulance unit (C003) responding to an emergency call.
The collision occurred at the Waigani Islander Traffic light intersection where the PMV, allegedly making threatening actions towards the paramedic, attempted a hazardous maneuver intersecting with the path of the ambulance.
Thankfully, the paramedic remained unharmed, but the driver of the PMV fled the scene following the collision. Representatives from St John Ambulance and the PMV owner convened to address the situation.
This alarming incident underscores the gravity of road safety, especially during emergency responses. St John Ambulance emphasizes the importance of adhering to road safety regulations, including yielding to emergency vehicles with lights and sirens activated.
Failure to do so not only endangers the lives of ambulance crews but also jeopardizes the safety of those in need of urgent medical attention.
The community is urged to exercise vigilance, patience, and strict adherence to traffic laws at all times to prevent such incidents from occurring.
Prompt reporting of emergencies requiring medical assistance is reiterated by calling 111 for ambulance services.