COIMBATORE: A harrowing struggle unfolded in mid-2017 as the clock relentlessly ticked away. A spotted deer, desperate and exhausted, was trapped in the depths of a well, its fate hanging by a fragile thread.
Four agonising days passed, each minute marked by the chilling realisation that the animal was on the brink of death. As despair loomed, the forest department staff felt the heavy weight of helplessness.
Dr K Saravanan burst onto the scene when all hope seemed lost, igniting a spark of hope amid the darkness. He sprang into action with a heart full of resolve, performing CPR fiercely.
Within an hour, in a twist of fate that defied expectations, the deer began to recover, its life restored against all odds. This rescue ignited a fervent mission within Saravanan to empower others with the skills necessary to respond to emergencies.
Dr Saravanan, founder and trustee of the First Heart Foundations Network, has been at the forefront of this mission for the last seven years. Alongside a passionate team of like-minded individuals, he has become a beacon of hope in Coimbatore, training volunteers to be first responders and raising awareness about the critical need for life-saving skills. “Anything can happen to anyone at any time,” he asserts. “But the question is, are we prepared to face it?”
The urgency of this question resonates deeply within Saravanan’s vision. He believes everyone should strive to become a first responder, equipped with the knowledge and training necessary to act in moments of crisis.
With a diverse curriculum that includes fire safety, first aid, chemical spillage response, defensive driving, and around 78 topics necessary to become a subject matter expert in this field—including disaster management, crowd management, life-saving training, rescue operations, animal rescue, and road safety rescues—the organisation is determined to create a community that can handle emergencies.
Additionally, it is a government-approved body training women employees on the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) in workplaces.
Citing a lack of interest among the public in learning life-saving skills, L Moulidharan, a trustee of the foundation who works as a safety officer at a private firm and an expert in industrial safety measures, mentioned that the team sometimes hold mock drills followed by training sessions to grab the audience’s attention.
Saravanan’s impressive credentials include a BE degree, a master’s in behavioural psychology, and a PhD in Disaster Management, complemented by specialised training from the National Institute of Disaster Management. His inspiration to work in crisis management was sparked during college through Rotaract activities, where he recognised the dire need for trained first responders in the society.
A pivotal moment in his journey came in 2014 while consulting in Pune. Witnessing a fire drill led by a private firm illuminated the vast potential for first responders beyond traditional roles. “Ninety-nine per cent of people lack awareness and knowledge,” he reflects. “There is an urgent need for training in every corner of society.”
Yet, the reality often remains grim. Saravanan points out that in the event of an accident, many bystanders freeze, waiting for an ambulance or capturing the scene on their phones rather than taking action. “Until an emergency occurs, we often do not consider the importance of being prepared,” he notes, emphasising that timely first aid can mean the difference between life and death.
This harsh truth was laid bare again in May 2024 during a tragic incident on the Rameswaram–Ramanathapuram highway. A young man, severely injured and under the influence of alcohol, fell victim to misguided attempts at rescue. Someone had given him water, a misstep that cost him his life mere moments before the arrival of medical help. The agonising lesson? The ‘golden hour’—the critical time frame for effective intervention—demanded skillful action.
Saravanan and his team have contacted over eight lakh individuals in the last seven years, offering simulation sessions that empower people to save lives. They are currently focused on training the staff from Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation in Coimbatore. They plan to expand their outreach across the state, including training police and fire safety personnel.
As Saravanan emphasises, the mastery of emergency skills is an art that requires consistent practice. “Learning is ineffective without reinforcement,” he insists. To ensure this, they seek participant feedback and offer refresher sessions every six months.
In a world where emergencies can strike at any moment, the work of Dr K Saravanan and the First Heart Foundations Network stands as a testament to the power of preparedness. With every individual trained, the community grows safer, and hope flourishes. The vision of a society where every person is a potential first responder is not just an aspiration; it is a movement that could save countless human and animal lives.
(Edited by Dinesh Jefferson E)