Every so often questions are raised about Jamaica's emergency response capacity, leading to a brief debate and then silence.

We, however, never seem to get a clear picture of/or the resolution of issues. But we are always left with the impression that things are bad. And God forbid that the island should suffer a severe catastrophe, natural or man-made, requiring major emergency medical response.

We have had cause again to reflect on, and worry about, this issue given the accident on the Long Bay main road in St James on Sunday that was reported by this newspaper yesterday. A 30-ton specialised truck hauling bulk cement capsized into a ditch. Its driver, Glen Francis, 44, was killed.

Two matters arise from this accident that are worthy of observation and, hopefully, serious action by the authorities. The first is the capacity to respond.

The suggestion is that Mr Francis did not die immediately. He may have lingered. And not because 'help' took too long to arrive.

Ill-equipped fire service

According to Superintendent Lloyd Scott of the Montego Bay Fire Department, firefighters arrived "very early, but our equipment was too light to lift the cab front". In the end, it took rescuers six hours to pry Mr Francis' body from the cab after equipment owned by the construction company Pihl Ltd had lifted the truck from the ditch.

On the face of it, Jamaica's fire service is ill-equipped, by training and material resources, for serious rescue efforts, or for that matter, fighting fires, judging from the anecdotal evidence so frequently available. Indeed, it used to be the case, until recently, that the Jamaica Fire Brigade did not have ladders of height capable of reaching the upper floors of Jamaica's modest high-rise buildings. Of course, we won't dwell on the shortage of fire tenders.

This situation clearly cannot suffice. It is critical that the Government do two things: seriously overhaul and upgrade the fire service and, second, design and implement an emergency response system. We are reminded that the former administration, during Dr Peter Phillips' stint at the Ministry of Health, launched a medical emergency response service. But that was neither national nor fully equipped and has, at best, merely limped along.

Jamaica's current social and economic situation makes a proper emergency system imperative.

Falling asleep

The other point that emerged from Sunday's accident is the suggestion that Mr Francis may have fallen asleep at the steering wheel. We do not know this to be fact, but such things sometimes happen.

The issue, though, raises the obvious question of the proper regulation of heavy equipment operators and haulage drivers. We are all aware of the large tractor trailers and similar vehicles on the roads transporting goods and their sometimes careening around bends on narrow mountain roads. It is often frightening.

What is not clear is how often that drivers of these vehicles have to be recertified, and who checks and/or enforces rules for mandatory rest - if any exist. The evidence suggests that no such policing exists and that drivers clock up any amount of hours they wish.

It is time for the Government, via the Transport Authority, to enforce regulations and where they are lacking, to update them. After all, an accident like Mr Francis', whatever its cause, is not all that unique.