Sindh Rescue 1122 Receives 5000 Calls Per Day

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Jul, 2024) Sindh Emergency Rescue Services (SERS) Rescue 1122 ambulance service receives 5000 calls per day for medical related emergencies and rescue operations.

This was revealed during the “Safe Karachi Conference: Strengthening Urban Resilience” conference organised by K-Electric in collaboration with Institute of business Administration, held to hold a dialogue on strengthening urban resilience for a safer Karachi.

During the conference at the IBA City Campus hosted by analyst Zarrar Khuhro, the speakers discussed a vision for a safer Karachi and its preparedness for disasters including monsoon flooding and heat waves. The event discussed public threats including regulatory enforcement and safety hazards and other challenges facing the city.

Speaking during the conference, Brigadier (Retd) Tariq Lakhair, Chief Executive Officer, Sindh Emergency Rescue Services (SERS), said Rescue 1122 Sindh was launched in 2021, has gradually spread to 30 districts and 1280 locations across the province.

While emphasizing on emergency response, Brig. (Retd) Tariq Lakhair said the Rescue 1122 receives 5000 calls every day, of which nearly 99 per cent are medical-related and half are for rescue services. He said an ambulance costs 20 million rupees and is equipped with a ventilator and paramedic facilities. He further mentioned that a basic ambulance reaches the patient in three minutes and an advanced ambulance reaches in seven minutes.

He further mentioned they have provided services during 650,000 road accidents but there has been no incident of theft and all personal items are returned. He mentioned that over 762 babies have been safely delivered in the ambulance. SERS have started a motorcycle ambulance and marine ambulance but currently doesn’t have the resources to start an air ambulance.

During the conference, the Alertli app was launched which aims to report safety hazards including encroachments. While introducing the app, Noor Afshan, Head of Brand Marketing K-Electric, said Karachi is a city resilient against odds.

According to a report, 70 percent accidents occur inside homes and private premises and there were 388 incidents of electrocution reported between 2019 and 2023. Alertli utilizes crowd sourcing and geo fencing to report safety hazards or accidents. Citizens are urged to download the app and contribute to improving public safety.

The speakers discussed challenges to address safety hazards of encroachment and the impact of service to commuters.

Syed Khalid Hyder Shah, Additional Chief Secretary, Local Government Dept, Government of Sindh, said a vibrant local system is evolving in Sindh which is making efforts to improve safety standards.

Additional Commissioner Ghulam Mehdi said that there is coordination with the institutions during monsoon rains but the response is delayed in some areas.

Asif Jaan Siddiqui, Project Director, Competitive and Liveable City Karachi (CLICK), said the Alertli App completes the requirements of a survey completed by the Local Govt department several years ago.

Sadia Dada, Chief Distribution and Marketing Officer K-Electric, stressed on the need for a collaborative tool to improve living standards in Karachi.

The second panel discussed on monsoon flooding and heatwave related risk preparedness and the shared responsibility. The speakers stressed on collaborative efforts for effective urban resilience strategies.

Afia Salam, Journalist and Environment Activist, said a heatwave management plan was made in 2015 heatwave in Karachi but was not implemented. She said the urban forest policy should be implemented and public parks should be developed to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Imdad Hussain, Manager Operations, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Sindh, said a survey has been conducted for disaster response in all district of the province. He said efforts are being made to strength the collaboration with district disaster management authority.

Zubair Ahmed Channa, Project Director, Solid Waste Emergency & Efficiency Project (SWEEP), emphasised on efforts to improve drainage systems.

Soha Macktoom, Associate Director Karachi Urban Lab, said Karachi is vulnerable to two main disasters - urban flooding and heatwave.

She said katchi abadis are blamed for encroachments but many commercial properties and institutions are also in the right of passage of floodwater drains. She said we face a longer, hotter summer which does fit the definition of a heatwave.

Soha stressed on identifying needs for Karachi and introducing it in the master plan.

Humayun Saghir, Regional Head, K-Electric, said that they provide a public utility and are dedicated to making electricity accessible to all areas of the city.