Facility to be used to airlift critical patients: CEO
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 7: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to hire one air ambulance and two helicopters to swiftly evacuate polling staff, civilians, and security forces in case of any emergency during the period of Lok Sabha polls in the Union Territory.
This decision, directed by the Election Commission of India, comes as part of a new requirement to have air ambulances deployed in every election henceforth.
PK Pole, the Chief Electoral Officer of Jammu and Kashmir, told the Excelsior, “these air ambulances, equipped with emergency facilities, will play a vital role in transporting critical patients, particularly the poll staff, civilians, and the security forces’ personnel, to the medical facilities.”
Asked whether the air ambulance facility had ever been used before in the UT, he said, “as per a recent directive, the ECI wants these ambulances to be deployed in every election henceforth.”
As per the details available with the Excelsior, the Commission has mandated from the service provider (of air ambulance and helicopters) one helicopter ambulance on a wet lease basis for five days during each phase of the election.
Additionally, a single-engine helicopter will be on a wet lease basis from three days before the first phase until one day after the last phase of the Lok Sabha election 2024. As and when required, a twin-engine helicopter will also be available.
The helicopter ambulance will primarily be used to transfer patients to designated medical facilities including Super Specialty Hospitals in Jammu or Srinagar, as recommended by specialists or qualified doctors, based on the severity of the case.
While the helicopter ambulance and single-engine helicopter can be stationed anywhere within Jammu and Kashmir, the twin-engine helicopter may necessarily not remain in J&K UT and will be provided by the service provider as needed.
The air ambulance needs to be equipped with ICU facilities and essential medical equipment, including portable emergency ventilators, oxygen cylinders, and defibrillators. The onboard medical team should consist of two qualified doctors or one doctor and one paramedic to ensure prompt medical assistance during flights.
It’s also mandatory for the service provider to be airborne within 15 minutes of receiving a call and reach the designated site promptly for patient airlift.
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