Sunday, 12 November 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The 108 emergency ambulance service has kept its entire fleet of 272 ambulances in a state of alert to effectively respond to the emergencies on the occasion of Deepawali. All the employees of the service would remain on duty during the festival of lights. It is generally seen that there is a spurt in the number of cases of burns, other injuries and accidents during the festival of Deepawali. The general manager (Projects) of the ambulance service, Anil Sharma took stock of the preparation of the ambulance service in a meeting with senior officers of the company at the 108 headquarters on Saturday. He said that the entire fleet of ambulances is kept at high alert and the employees have been asked to remain prepared for any emergency. Sharma said that the service would keep 272 ambulances on high alert in all parts of the State. He informed that the ambulances of Khushiyon Ki Sawari (KKS) have also been kept on alert to serve the mothers and their new born babies.
In Dehradun the ambulances would be stationed at Survey Chowk, Clock tower, Jakhan, Raipur, Ballupur Chowk, Premnagar, Vidhan Sabha and Race Course during the Deepawali festival so that they can respond without delay.
Sharma further informed that during Dhanteras and Deepawali festivals last year (October 22 to 27), the service responded to 1,568 emergency calls. Out of these calls 206 were related to accidents, 53 cardiac diseases and 23 were burn cases. Sharma disclosed that additional employees would be stationed at the central call centre of the service in view of an increase in number of calls during this period. He further informed that mobile teams have been constituted by the ambulance service which would remain operational from 8 AM to 12 PM on Deepawali. Sharma added that 18 back up ambulances have been deployed in the State.
