FRSC to buy choppers, air ambulances, drones for effective patrol, accident response

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Efforts are in top gear to equip the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) with choppers, air ambulance and drones to streamline it’s services in patrol operations and quick response to accident victims.

Drone

Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja at the ember months’ press conference to acquaint the public of the level of preparedness of the corps, Deputy Corps Marshal on Policy, Research and Statistics, Clement Oladele, said the federal government is fashioning out the process through through private public partnership(PPP) arrangement.

He stated though it has been a long-term plan, however, preparations were underway to realize it soon.

Oladele noted ongoing discussions with private sector partners to further equip the FRSC with air ambulances, which would be stationed at strategic locations near trauma centres along accident-prone routes.

He said, “Aside from the new engagement that the new Corps Marshal is making, we have gotten some private individuals who are willing to do a Public-Private Partnership with us.

“We thought it might be longer for us to get our choppers, but from the ongoing discussions, it might be earlier.

“But it is not just the choppers, it is also to have air ambulances. These air ambulances will be at strategic positions within the coordinates of trauma centres where road crashes normally happen so that we can easily evacuate crash victims.

“These will also be aided with drones as part of technology to advance the cause of the FRSC.”

The deputy corps marshal further reported that between January to September 2024, 3,767 people had been killed in 7,011 road traffic crashes cases, while 22,373 people were injured.