Kannur station to get 24 hour ambulance

KANNUR: On Tuesday, October 11 Kannur will become the first railway station in the state to boast of 24-hour ambulance services. Lubnath Shah Memorial Charitable Trust is offering the facility in association with Angels Ambulance. While the Trust gives drivers, the Railways provides parking space. The Trust plans to create a group of volunteers from auto-taxi drivers and the Railway staff to ensure the availability of drivers all the time.

It had earlier installed a heart revival machine here, also a first in the Palakkad Division, which will be demonstrated at the inaugural function. Trust chairman P. Shahin said a few incidents of passengers experiencing heart attacks and delay in reaching a hospital at railway stations prompted them to establish it. “When the officials requested our help, we decided to purchase a dedicated ambulance. We have also appointed a driver for the time being. He will be replaced by volunteers after a few months,” he told DC.

The service can be availed by dialling 102. P.K. Sreemathi MP will inaugurate the facility, and district collector Mir Muhammed Ali will hand over the key to the Railway officials, in the presence of mayor E.P. Latha and Irikkur MLA K.C. Joseph. The Trust was formed by friends of Lubnath Shah, who died in a road mishap in 1999. It is also active in trauma care training and provides GPS system for the fire and rescue vehicles.