A mobile app called ALERT VoICE (Volunteer In Case of Emergency) was launched by Apollo Hospitals Chairman Dr. Prathap C. Reddy at the second edition of ‘ALERT Being’ awards 2018, hosted in Chennai by ALERT, a voluntary non-profit organisation.
The app can help anyone with a medical emergency immediately, even before the ambulance arrives. It will have a list of volunteers, who are part of a team. Currently, it can be downloaded on both Android and iOS platforms. It will be able to initiate an SOS which will reach the ALERT VoICEs within a defined radius.
Anyone aged 17 and above residing in and around Chennai can volunteer to enrol into the network as an ALERT VoICE. They will go through an intense and comprehensive training course on emergency response methodologies such as theory, demonstration, hands-on, scenario-based learning etc.,
After training, volunteers will be assessed by doctors of the Emergency Department of Apollo hospitals and they will be provided with a comprehensive first aid kit, first responder reflector jacket and a flash card which will enable them to attend to emergency cases in their vicinity.
Dr. Reddy said with the advent of new disease and health issues, more volunteers should join the network. The ‘Alert Being Awards 2018’ was presented to outstanding personalities. Paalam Kalyanasundaram, founder of Anbu Paalam, was conferred with lifetime achievement award in service to humanity. Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, the Prince of Arcot, presented the awards.