Gujarat 108 readies 1,500 ambulances and 6,000 staff for Diwali emergency surge

Gujarat's 108 emergency service has prepared a special action plan for Diwali, New Year and Bhaibij, when firecracker injuries, accidents, burns and poisoning cases usually rise, according to Bhaskar English. About 1,500 ambulances and 6,000 staff members will remain on alert across the state.

Jaswant Prajapati, CEO of Gujarat 108 Service, told Divya Bhaskar that emergency calls are generally around 20% higher than on normal days during the festive period. On regular days the service handles 5,500 to 6,000 calls daily, and this could rise to around 7,500 during Diwali. Extra manpower, medicines and ambulance maintenance have been arranged.

What the service is doing

• Additional emergency response officers, team leaders and physicians at the Kathwada control centre.
• Ambulances repositioned across districts and hotspots to cut response time.
• The 112 integrated emergency number, which brings police, fire and medical help onto one platform, will also be on alert.

Prajapati said that bringing better-equipped ambulances from primary and community health centres into the 108 network took the operational fleet to around 1,500 and reduced average response time from 15-16 minutes to 11-12 minutes, and to under 10 minutes in urban areas. He noted that many private hospitals stay closed and doctors are on leave during the five-to-seven-day celebrations.

Why it matters for ambulance owners and drivers

Festival weeks bring higher call volumes and traffic, so crews and vehicles need to be ready well in advance.