EMRI model - Indiagovernance.gov.in

Study of Emergency Response Service (EMRI Scheme)Report of the 1 st Phase of the StudySTUDY OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE SERVICE (EMRI MODEL)IN SELECTED STATES IN INDIAI. Emergency Response Service (ERS): An IntroductionEmergency Response Service (ERS) is generally associated with medical services, policeemergency and fire service. This forms the core group of services to be provided. However,many other functions can be combined to form a broader ‘package’ of ERS includingemergencies like mountain rescue, cave rescue, mine rescue etc. Other emergencies likedisaster relief and famine relief form part of the civil emergency services.Historically, Emergency Response Services (ERS) are in practice since 18th century (during theNapoleonic times) when a pre-hospital system was designed to triage and transport the injuredfrom the field to aid stations 1 . An emergency call service was first launched in 1937 in the UKknown as the 999 emergency services. The key lesson, as evident from the experiences of suchERS worldwide and historically, is that these are not short run investments. Even after 70 yearsof operation, 999 required an investment of £10 million (GBP) on infrastructure and training.This provides six kinds of services: police, ambulance, fire, coastguard, cave and mountainrescue 2 . The European counterpart to this service is the 112 number that also runs in the UKtoday along with its 999 phone line. The United States of America (USA) introduced similarservice with the number 911 in 1968. It has been designated as the Universal EmergencyNumber for citizens throughout the US to request for emergency assistance. Today,approximately 96% of continental USA is covered by 911. It is intended as a nationwidetelephone number and gives the public fast and easy access to a Public Safety Answering Point(PSAP). 3In the Indian context, a much discussed and successful PPP model for ERS is the 108Emergency Service being managed and operationalised by EMRI (Emergency Managementand Research Institute) in many states in India like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, andRajasthan with around 1300 ambulances running (as on December 2008) 4 . EMRI was set up asa registered society with 17 members and most of them were family members of Mr. Ramalinga1 Source: Emergency medical services - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia retrieved 2008-10-20092 Source: 999 celebrates its 70th birthday retrieved 2008-10-20093 Source: 9-1-1 Origin & History | National Emergency Number Association retrieved 2008-10-294 As of March 2009 the number of ambulances has increased to 1735 (Annexure: A-22)National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC)5