Hearse operators abusing sirens should be arrested and prosecuted – Ambulance Service

The Ghana National Ambulance Service (GNAS) is concerned about siren abuse. Some motorists, especially hearse operators, misuse emergency sirens. This misuse creates problems for the ambulance service.

Motorists often refuse to give way during emergencies. Paemt Sommik Duut Miilon, the Ashanti Regional Manager, spoke on Luv FM about this issue. He noted that EMS teams struggle to navigate traffic due to siren abuse.

Hearse operators frequently use sirens without medical emergencies. Mr. Duut Miilon stated that these practices delay response times. He emphasized that there is no emergency for transporting dead bodies.

He urged road users to clear the way quickly. Delays happen because of traffic caused by unauthorized siren use. He called for stricter enforcement against this misuse.

The standard response time for medical emergencies is around 8 minutes. Some regions achieve as low as 5 minutes, but Ashanti Region averages 17 minutes. Mr. Duut explained that this delay isn’t due to a lack of ambulances.

Many delays come from patients requesting transfers or prank calls. “Ghana’s EMS professionals are ready,” he said, “but they need public cooperation.” Prank calls distract from real emergencies and can be deadly.

Mr. Duut mentioned their dispatch center receives many prank calls daily. They get at least 200 unnecessary calls asking for non-emergency help. These calls hinder their ability to respond to genuine emergencies.

He pointed out that the emergency line, 112, is overwhelmed with pranks. The service receives between 200 and 300 prank calls regularly. These aren’t harmless jokes; they include insults and silly requests like airtime.

Such distractions prevent them from helping those in real need.