The Emergency Operations Center (COE) is launching the second phase of its “For Dominicanness, Values and Your Safety” plan with the participation of more than 33,000 people, including military personnel, doctors and police agents. According to COE director General Juan Manuel Mendez, 1,600 aid posts, 164 ambulances, three helicopters, a mobile hospital and nine regional command centers are in place to prevent and deal with problems.
The New Year’s operation starts Monday, 30 December at 2pm and runs through Wednesday 1 at 8pm. Thousands of people are expected to go on holiday from Monday 30 December, taking the afternoon off, making for one of the busiest domestic travel periods in the year.
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMET) director General Juan Geronimo Brown is focusing on businesses that sell alcohol (liquor stores and colmadones) to reduce drunk driving. Alcohol is already said to have been involved in every one of the 28 traffic accidents death recorded during the Christmas holiday period (2pm Monday, 23 December through 8pm Wednesday, 25 December).
Officials from the ministries of Interior and Police, Public Works, Public Health, Presidency, Armed Forces, Police, Firefighters, Red Cross and others are taking part in the Safe New Year’s operation.
Public and private hospitals have announced they have increased staffing at their emergency areas to ensure proper care.