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India Gazette
2 days ago
- Automotive
- India Gazette
Tripura's road accidents below national average,urges strict vigil on driving licence: CM Saha
Agartala (Tripura) [India], July 3 (ANI): Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha stated that the statistics show the number of deaths and injuries in road accidents in the state is much lower than the national average and emphasised reducing the number further. He said efforts should be made to ensure that accidents do not occur due to carelessness and that both the central and state governments are working together to prevent road accidents. 'Everyone should be more vigilant to prevent road accidents. Compared to the national average, fewer people die in road accidents in Tripura. The Traffic and Transport Department should keep a strict vigil on the validity of driving licences of vehicle drivers. For safety reasons, it should be mandatory for both drivers and pillion riders of two-wheelers to wear helmets,' said CM Saha. The Tripura CM said this after flagging off 16 Basic Life Support ambulances and virtually launching VLT (Vehicle Location Tracking) and MT (Monitoring System) organised by the Transport Department at Swami Vivekananda Maidan in Agartala on Wednesday. The programme was a part of the ongoing road safety initiative. He said on the occasion that the Transport Department's responsibilities go beyond registering vehicles, issuing licences, and renewing documents. 'With the dedicated efforts of the Transport Minister, the department is undertaking several innovative activities for road safety. Earlier, the Transport Department had introduced interceptor vehicles. Today, 16 Basic Life Support Ambulances have been provided--eight will be operated under the supervision of the Fire Service Department, and the remaining eight will function under the supervision of different police stations. These ambulances will be deployed in accident-prone areas along the national highways. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also laid special emphasis on reducing road accidents across the country. Under his guidance, the state government is working to prevent accidents,' he said. The Chief Minister highlighted the crucial role played by fire brigade personnel after an accident. 'In most cases, the main responsibility of taking injured patients to the hospital lies with them. In this context, the inclusion of Basic Life Support Ambulances will strengthen the system, enabling the injured to receive first aid en route. Therefore, this initiative by the Transport Department is highly commendable. Someone may lose their life in an accident, while another may become permanently disabled. The loss of a life in an accident is not only a personal tragedy for the family but also a loss to the state and the country,' said CM Saha. He reiterated that while Tripura's accident statistics are better than the national average, the state must aim to reduce the numbers further. 'This needs to be improved even more. Every effort should be made to prevent accidents caused by carelessness. Both the central and state governments are working together in this direction,' he added. CM Saha also stressed the importance of wearing helmets for two-wheeler riders and pillion riders. 'Helmets should not be worn just to avoid fines by the police but to save one's own life. Head injuries can be prevented only by wearing a helmet,' he noted. Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, Agartala Municipal Corporation Mayor and MLA Dipak Majumder, Director General Anurag, Transport Department Secretary U.K. Chakma, Joint Commissioner Subrata Chowdhury, and other officials were present as distinguished guests on the occasion. (ANI)
CBS News
4 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Baltimore Fire union raises concerns about downgrade of 4 medical units
The Baltimore Firefighters' union is raising concerns as the city plans to downgrade four Advanced Life Support (ALS) medic units to Basic Life Support (BLS) at the start of July. According to IAFF Local 734, the move could impact emergency responses and patient care in the city. "Every second counts in a medical emergency," said Matthew Coster, President of IAFF Local 734. "Reducing ALS coverage in Baltimore means fewer units equipped with the tools and training to handle life-threatening incidents like cardiac arrest, stroke, and major trauma. This change puts patients at greater risk." Downgrading Baltimore medic units Coster said the city's decision to downgrade four units is in response to staffing issues and overtime constraints at the fire department. The downgrades could make those challenges worse, the union leader said. "When we're already at strained resources and maxed out on a daily basis, we don't want to go backward, we want to keep moving forward and get ALS units on the street where they need to be," Coster said. According to the union, ALS units are trained to administer advanced care during emergency responses, while BLS units have fewer capabilities. ALS units can provide airway management, deliver medication and monitor cardiac health. According to Coster, the downgrade could mean it takes longer for the proper personnel to get on scene. "When you're trying to save a life, time is your enemy," Coster said. "When it comes to trying to fight a fire to ALS interventions, fast is the best way that you wanna do it." Coster also emphasized that 911 call volume is extremely high in the city. He hopes his message will convince the mayor and city council to "properly fund the fire department and give us the money that we need to keep these units on the street, to properly staff and train and retain people." "This is not about finger-pointing," Coster said. "We believe the Fire Chief and department leadership are doing the best they can under difficult circumstances. But we owe it to our residents to speak up when decisions are made that could delay care or jeopardize outcomes."
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Wait time for ambulance in Karnataka's urban areas down from 22 min to 14 min
Bengaluru: In case of a health emergency, urban residents in the state can now expect 108 emergency ambulances to reach them faster. In 2023, the average wait time for an ambulance was around 22 minutes. Now, it is down to just 14 minutes in urban areas, including Bengaluru! Health officials credit the improvement to the replacement of old ambulances with new ones to the existing fleet. However, with regard to response in rural areas, the time taken is a bit more compared to urban centres. According to the data by the health department, on average, rural response time was 17 minutes. What explains this rural-urban divide? A senior official from the health dept said the improvement in urban response time is possibly due to addition of newly acquired ambulances. "The ambulance response time is expected to be within 20 minutes in urban areas and 30 minutes in rural regions. This renewed coverage allowed urban units to reach patients faster. However, the rise in rural wait times, though smaller, was attributed to geographic challenges. When we calculate the average, there are rural pockets where ambulances simply can't reach quickly due to poor roads or remote terrain. These cases weigh down the overall average," the official said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Khám phá bộ sưu tập sofa giảm giá đẹp cho phòng khách việt nam LocalPlan Đọc thêm Undo Interestingly, the total number of ambulances in the state has not changed, remaining at 715. This includes 289 Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances and 426 Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances. To improve emergency response, health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao announced Wednesday that the govt will soon take over the operation of '108' ambulance services, ending the current arrangement with private agencies. A private agency, EMRI Green Health Services, was in charge of managing all 715 ambulances across the state. He shared with TOI that the health department successfully completed a pilot project in Chamarajanagar district to operate the '108' ambulance service independently. "From now on, the ambulances will be managed directly by the department. We will oversee the command and control systems ourselves. We've decided to exit the private agreement due to persistent issues; tenders were floated several times but couldn't be finalised because of recurring problems," he said. He added within the next three months, all ambulances in the state will be brought under this centralised control system, which is aimed at improving service delivery and strengthening the overall emergency response network.
The Hindu
07-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
SCR wings simulate hostile attack scenarios in three stations
Several wings of the South Central Railway (SCR) coordinated on Wednesday to simulate a hostile attack scenario and displayed evacuation procedures during an emergency at mock drills at Kacheguda, Raichur and Aurangabad stations, as per the direction of the Union Home Ministry. The drills conducted under the supervision of Controller of Civil Defence and Deputy General Manager Udaynath Kotla with volunteers, Scouts and Guides, and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, saw activation of air raid warning sirens, implementation of crash blackout measures, testing power-down protocols to minimise visibility during a simulated aerial threat, evacuation plan rehearsals, and coordinated passenger movement to designated safety zones and so on. The operational readiness was checked for fire-fighting, Basic Life Support (BLS), first-aid administration, and rescue operations with inter-agency coordination among railway security personnel, local authorities, and emergency responders. General Manager Arun Kumar Jain said that the zone is committed towards implementing structured emergency response mechanisms and fostering multi-agency collaboration through regular training sessions and mock drills, said a press release.
News18
07-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Travelling By Train Today? Expect Blackouts And More As Part Of India-Wide Mock Drills
Last Updated: As per the Railway Manual, the drill will include a blackout with unnecessary lights off and windows covered, aimed at boosting emergency preparedness of railway staff Mock drills for emergency preparedness are being held across India on Wednesday, hours after the armed forces launched missile strikes at terror targets in Pakistan to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack. Increased security measures are being observed at railway stations across the country as part of the planned mock drill. Under orders from the Home Ministry, a comprehensive civil defence mock drill is being conducted as part of the Civil Defence Program to prepare for potential wartime scenarios. The exercise includes several railway stations, such as Kachiguda (Hyderabad Division), Raichur (Guntakal Division), and Aurangabad (Nanded Division), among others. However, specific details about mock drills at stations in and around the capital, Delhi, remain unclear. This mock drill aims to test emergency preparedness and inter-departmental coordination by simulating an attack scenario. Activities will include air raid warnings, blackout practices, safe evacuation drills, and evaluations of civil defence services, including fire extinguishing, Basic Life Support (BLS), and rescue operations. As per the Railway Manual, a blackout will be implemented during the drill. Unnecessary lights will be switched off and windows covered. The primary objective of this exercise is to strengthen the emergency preparedness of railway personnel and ensure an effective response during crisis situations. The exercise aims to activate air-raid sirens, train people in evacuation procedures, and clean bunkers and trenches, among other preparations for a potential 'hostile attack." This emergency readiness exercise, possibly the first since 1971, is scheduled for 4 pm across most states. According to sources, around 600,000 volunteers are expected to participate, though the final count could be higher, PTI reported. According to sources, these drills will involve students from educational institutions, employees of both government and private organisations, hospital staff, railway and metro officials, as well as uniformed personnel from the police, paramilitary, and defence forces. Vulnerable locations include major metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, and Kolkata, along with cities housing critical installations like nuclear facilities or those situated along the border. 'The civil defence authorities will assess the capabilities of these areas and address any deficiencies," a source mentioned. This site identification exercise will continue for the next three days. In response to the Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian armed forces conducted missile strikes early Wednesday on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. These targets included the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold in Bahawalpur and the Lashkar-e-Taiba base in Muridke. Following the Pahalgam attack, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, the prime minister had granted the armed forces complete operational freedom to determine the targets, methods, and timing of their actions against terrorism. First Published: May 07, 2025, 15:16 IST
