A total of 100 emergency response volunteers have been trained by the Red Cross in Lagos to enable them acquire required skills to reduce casualties during disasters.

The volunteers were trained at two-day “Emergency First Aid Training (EFAT)’ programme which ended on Wednesday in Lagos.

NRCS Lagos Branch Chairman, Adebola Kolawole, said the training was part of efforts to ensure the safety of the volunteers while carrying out their duties.

Ms Kolawole said: “Apart from pipeline explosions, building collapse, plane crash and flooding, we need to get them ready.

“Things are changing globally. Aside the COVID-19 that has taken over the globe, the state of security is another factor and when things like that happen they need to be ready.’’

She advised the volunteers to always kit themselves while responding to disasters, for identification and safety.

Ms Kolawole added that the Red Cross planned to kit 5,000 of its volunteers in phases as they were always on standby for emergency response.

Adenike Ibitayo, Head, Search and Rescue at National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) charged the EFAT team to ensure that they collaborate with the communities around them.

Ms Ibitayo further charged them to do a proper emergency response assessment and ascertain that the environment was safe during emergencies to reduce casualties.

“There is no way you can effectively manage disasters without carrying the community along.

“People always have good intentions to help during disasters but somebody who does not know what to do will cause more harm,’’ she said.

Bosun Olukolade, Head, Special Duties/Search and Rescue, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), said the training would help the participants to brainstorm and assess their responses to emergencies.

“Emergencies have no bounds and can happen at any time and one organisation cannot do it alone.

“All stakeholders need to collaborate to form a very robust body and system that will be impactful to Lagosians and Nigerians at large,’’ he said.