Police happy with Jaws of Life gift

The National National

By JACKLYN SIRIAS
POLICE still lack special equipment to respond to accidents and emergency cases, says deputy police commissioner and chief of operations Jim Andrews.
He said this yesterday following a pledge by the Port Moresby Rotary Club to donate a mechanical apparatus commonly referred to as Jaws of Life to the constabulary to use in rescuing people trapped in
vehicles involved in road accidents.
“When people are trapped in vehicles after an accident or a crash or any natural disaster, these types of equipment are very important to save lives,” Andrews said.
He said that the police lacked such equipment to respond to accidents in major centres in the country.
International director for the Rotary Club of Port Moresby Ernest Lohberger said this life saving
apparatus was usually donated to the fire brigade in Australia and other parts of the world because they responded first to accidents and emergencies.
“We are giving the Jaws of Life to police in PNG because they always respond first to accidents, disasters and emergencies.”
Lohberger said the equipment would arrive shortly in Port Moresby in a container shipped from Australia.
Andrews commended the Rotary Club for their pledge, saying the Jaws of Life would enhance police operation especially in accidents and emergencies.
“Similar equipment and some firemen protective suits and helmets were donated to the PNG Fire Service in the past as part of the Rotary Club’s charitable work in the country,” Lohberger said.
In addition, the Rotary club is also building a new office for the Family and Sexual Violence unit at Town police station to help the constabulary reach out and assist victims who are in need of police assistance.
Lohberger said they were also negotiating with Rotary Australia for the acquisition of a new fire engine for Kavieng in New Ireland.
He said they also built a refugee centre for families affected by violence at Tokarara, NCD, donated some text books to schools in the country and acquired medicine and equipment for some hospitals.