HYDERABAD: Can drones help in bringing down the number of casualties due to road accidents? Hyderabad-based GVK EMRI which operates 108 ambulance services is mulling usage of drones specially developed for the purpose, by the Indian institute of Science and General Aeronautics in Bengaluru, if permitted by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
GVK EMRI recently concluded its phase one of Active Bleeding Control (ABC) project. As part of the project, it aims to train people who are commonly available close to roads like auto drivers, policemen, shopkeepers and fuel pump workers, for immediately restricting bleeding in case of road accidents, until the arrival of an ambulance.
Presence of such trained people along the roads will prove a boon for someone injured in a road accident, for controlling loss of blood until he is shifted to a hospital. This also includes placing of ABC kits at strategic places, for immediate access. The officials claim to have trained 1,000 volunteers in the past one year as part of phase one ABC project, who helped save at least 24 lives. Two stretches of roads were identified for training - Suchitra junction to Kallakal and Alwal to Turkapally.