Ambulance drivers sensitised to Model Code of Conduct rules in Vellore, nearby districts

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMI) and drivers of ‘108’ ambulances in Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur, and Tiruvannamalai districts were sensitized about the Model Code of Conduct rules for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Officials of Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI), which runs the service in the State, said that 25 guidelines have been given by the organisation to follow till April 23, the polling day. “Apart from creating awareness among staff, including drivers, on the guidelines, we are also monitoring any violations in adhering to the election rules,” S. Kannan, district officer, Vellore (EMR), told The Hindu.

Ambulance drivers should cooperate with Static Surveillance Teams (SST) during vehicle checks.

However, if the election team insists on checking the ambulance, a team member could travel in the ambulance to the nearest hospital. The vehicle should be checked only after shifting the patient in the ward. “This is mainly to avoid losing the golden hour in saving patients’ lives. Many ambulances are operated in hilly and tribal areas in the region where government hospitals will be several kilometres away. So, any stoppage enroute to the hospital will be risky,” Mr. Kannan said.

At present, Tiruvannamalai has the highest number of ambulances (49), followed by Vellore (25), Tirupattur (24), and Ranipet (19). In terms of number of emergency calls, Tiruvannamalai gets at least 200 calls per day, followed by Vellore and Tirupattur (100 calls each) and Ranipet (70 calls).

On an average, ambulances reach within 11 minutes of receiving the emergency call in the region. Around 40% of cases are related to pregnancy, followed by road accidents that form 30% of the total calls. EMRI officials said that CCTV cameras were also fixed in ambulances as part of general surveillance. It is also monitored from a centralized control room for live data and emergency purposes.