GUWAHATI, Aug 26 � GVK-EMRI Mrityunjoy-108 emergency service has introduced a new version in the emergency response centre which is expected to enhance benefits of new version application by way of reducing average handling time, ensuring a single point of contact for the caller, and avoiding repetition of questions.
�The advanced feature of the new version will lead to faster assignment of the vehicle, which would ultimately help the emergency team to reach the point of emergency faster,� Chief Operating Officer of GVK, EMRI, Assam, Chandan Datta said at a press conference.
Datta said that in spite of such innovative efforts some external factors were still affecting the reach-time negatively. �Obstacles like bad road condition, inclement weather in the form of continuous rain and perennial floods often lead to delay in the reach-time as against high expectations from the public,� he said, adding that the worst-affected districts were Lakhimpur, Dhemaji and parts of Morigaon.
Datta said that due to incessant rain in many areas of the State, the 108 ambulance could not move due to muddy road conditions. �The ambulances get stuck and sometimes even the vital technical parts of the vehicles get damaged while moving through such areas to attend emergency cases. Due to repair of technical parts, the ambulances are kept down and thus the down time increases,� he said.
Elaborating, Datta said that due to the devastating floods in the districts of Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and parts of Morigaon, the 108 ambulances located at Machkhowa and Ghilamara could not avail the cases of the surrounding areas like Mathmora etc. The name of the villages where the ambulance service had been affected are Khagamtala, Dakati, Pahumara, Bualguri, Bogolijan, Majulial, 11 mile, Khabolu, Deorighat, Matmara, Pachim Laluk, Holmari, etc (in Lakhimpur district); villages Tokubari, Bhebeli, Sissiborgaon, Hathulachuk, Gormora, Kuligaon, Amguri, Bormukuli, Dasgaon, Chowkhamting, Borling, Kerkarni, Majgaon, Lakhipathar, Bardham, Naruathan, Borasia, Garubandha, Ghuguha, Nilakh, Bauli, etc (in Dhemaji district).
A similar situation occurred in Morigaon district where the 108 ambulances located at Lahorighat, Mikirbheta, Bhuragaon and Moirabari could not attend to the cases of the surrounding areas due to floods.
The 108 emergency response service is a free emergency response service which can be dialled for any emergency � be it medical, police and fire. 108 is a single number accessible from any landline, mobile, or local telephone booth without any prefix or suffix.
�When a caller dials 108 to report an emergency, the call will land in the emergency response centre and the communication officer will gather necessary information regarding the type of emergency and the location of the emergency scene i.e., district/subdivision/city/town/ landmark. After gathering the information, the dispatch officer in the emergency response centre dispatches either the ambulance, fire vehicle or the police vehicle depending on the type of emergency,� Datta said.
Working towards benchmarking with the best in the world GVK-EMRI has collaborations with Richmond Ambulance Authority, USA, R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, Stanford University, Singapore Health Services Pvt. Ltd. in the related service areas. Apart from handling the day-to-day emergencies (medical, police and fire), GVK-EMRI has also made progress in emergency research and training.