Twenty-six lives were lost over the year-end festivities for 2013 and the welcoming of 2014, all in traffic accidents, according to the Emergency Operations Center (COE). The agency’s bulletin number 3 on the second phase of the Christmas operation called “For Dominican values and safety” reports that 734 people were injured, including 184 cases of alcohol poisoning (including 29 minors) and 25 of food poisonings, which brought the total number of victims to 157. The report shows that 550 traffic accidents were reported from Monday 30 December at 2pm until 8pm yesterday, Wednesday 1 January. Of these, at least 223 involved motorcycle riders.
COE director General Juan Manuel Mendez Garcia reported that this year including both the Christmas and New Year holiday periods there were 54 deaths, 1,250 reported persons injured. This compares to the previous year holiday totals of 50 deaths, and 1,062 reported injured persons. The 22 agencies and organizations that make up the COE deployed 34,225 people to the streets and highways to try and prevent accidents or incidents. The aid workers included Civil Defense brigades, doctors, paramedics, military and Police personnel, and search and rescue specialists.
http://coe.gov.do/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=634:boletin-no-03-segunda-fase-operativo-navidad-2013&catid=8:boletin&Itemid=45