Cyclone Nivar: ‘108’ ambulances in Tamil Nadu asked to be on high alert

CHENNAI: As rains lash various parts of the state due to Cyclone Nivar, the Tamil Nadu government has asked ambulances to be on high alert for emergency cases.

According to a communication in this regard, shared with The New Indian Express, the health department has instructed all ambulances to park at the nearest police station or government health care facility for uninterrupted flow of communication.

“A total of 234 ambulances are exclusively allotted for COVID-19 work and the state has added 465 ambulances separately for emergency cases during the cyclone in seven costal districts,” the communication said.

Further, all ambulances have been instructed to fill and maintain full tank capacity of fuel for the next three days till normalcy is restored.

Follow Cyclone Nivar live updates here

“In anticipation of high call flow at the 108 Emergency Response centre during such an emergency, full staffing has been planned,” the SoP read, adding that even the logistics and accommodation for the call centre staff has been taken care of to serve more callers in distress.

The statement added that backup ambulances identified from other districts will be moved to coastal areas based on the requirements. “Being an integrated Emergency Response Centre, 108 will continuously coordinate with the Dial 100 police control room and the control room of the Fire and Rescue Services,” the statement added.

Regional fleet engineers have been kept on high alert for providing technical support to cater to any unforeseen breakdowns and maintenance. “Even the district service centres and mechanics have been notified to provide support on a war footing,” the communication noted.

Further, the 108 Emergency Response Centre has been fully equipped and prepared with two 250 KVA gensets and 2000 litres of diesel for uninterrupted power supply.

“A temporary Emergency Operation Centre has been set up inside the 108 Emergency Response Centre to monitor and make necessary course corrections at the ground level round the clock and update the government at frequent intervals. Also, this centre will provide alerts and updates on any major incidents on a real-time basis through text messages and WhatsApp,” the statement added.

For emergencies, people can contact 044-28888105 or 7338895011.