Chennai, Oct 15 (IANS) The EMRI Green Health Services, which operates the ‘108’ emergency ambulance service in coordination with the Tamil Nadu Health System Project, has put its entire fleet of 1,353 ambulances on high alert across the State to handle medical emergencies during the Deepavali festival from October 19 to 25.

In a statement, EMRI Green Health Services said it anticipates handling nearly 6,500 emergencies during the festive week — an increase of around 30 per cent compared to regular days.

To ensure seamless emergency response, the emergency operations centre will function at full capacity with personnel deployed in three shifts throughout the week.

The organisation has also identified “Deepavali hotspots” across the State where emergency calls traditionally spike due to road accidents, firecracker-related burns, and health issues triggered by smoke and noise pollution.

Dedicated ambulance fleets will be stationed near major government hospitals to support inter-facility patient transfers, ensuring faster response times and effective coordination with district administrations.

In Chennai, 11 key Deepavali hotspots have been earmarked for enhanced emergency coverage — the Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus in Kilambakkam, the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus at Koyambedu, Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MGR Central Railway Station, Egmore Railway Station, Ranganathan Street, Pondy Bazaar, Marina Beach, Elliot’s Beach, Guindy Children’s Park, Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore, and Parthasarathy Temple in Triplicane.

According to officials, these locations witness a surge in crowd movement, travel activity, and festive gatherings, prompting the deployment of additional ambulances and medical teams.

“All our control rooms and field teams will operate round-the-clock, ensuring immediate medical attention to accident and burn victims during the festival days,” an official said.

The emergency response teams have also been instructed to coordinate closely with fire and rescue services, traffic police, and local health authorities to manage incidents more efficiently.

Public awareness messages on safe celebration practices and the use of green crackers are being disseminated through various platforms.

The ‘108’ ambulance service, operational under a public-private partnership model, attends to over 4,000 emergencies daily across Tamil Nadu, covering road accidents, maternity cases, trauma, and cardiac events.

With the festive rush expected to intensify, the service has urged the public to dial 108 immediately in case of any emergency.

–IANS

aal/skp