TIRUCHY: As Tiruchy's shopping hubs bustle with pre-Deepavali crowds, the district's 108 emergency ambulance service is on high alert to respond swiftly to medical emergencies during the festival week. Special burn care kits, additional staff, and hotspot-based vehicle deployment are among the new measures rolled out to ensure faster on-ground response.
According to EMRI-GHS officials, who operate the 108 service under the State Health and Family Welfare Department, all ambulances in the Tiruchy district have been equipped with burn treatment kits containing sterile dressings, ointments, and pain-relief medication.
Paramedics have undergone refresher training in emergency burn management to stabilise patients at the scene before shifting them to hospitals. "This burn-care kit has been introduced for the first time this year. Usually, Primary Health Centres don't have the facility to handle burn injuries immediately.
Now, with these kits in our ambulances, trained staff can provide essential first aid while on the way to the government hospital. This time, we've ensured both manpower and equipment readiness," said a senior official. According to officials, the district currently operates 45 ambulances, which will be deployed in shifts.
Based on past records, calls are usually double the daily average on Deepavali day. Ambulances have been parked at identified high-traffic hotspots such as Marakadai, District Library (EB Road), Srirangam RTO, Puthur Four Roads, TVS Tollgate, and Palpannai signal. The 'hotspot arrangement' allows ambulances to reach designated spots within five to seven minutes.
The 'Avasaram 108' mobile app further aids emergency response by automatically sharing the caller's GPS location. To improve coordination, each crew member has been provided with a dedicated pre-arrival intimation number to alert nearby hospitals before patient arrival.
This helps emergency wards in Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital and other GHs across Tiruchy to prepare in advance, ensuring faster treatment. Likewise, the hotspot arrangements will be followed in Ariyalur, Perambalur, Pudukottai, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur and Tiruvarur.
