On September 17, around 10 a.m, at Orchid Springss, a critically-ill person was being brought down safely from a higher floor, in full view of the other residents. He was being taken to the ambulance pick-up point. On reaching the spot, he got up and walked away.
As was now obvious, the person in question was not critically-ill. In fact, he was not ill at all. And, he wasn’t a resident of this gated community in North Korattur, but a member of a team from Apollo Hospitals, Vanagaram. The residents were aware of these things.
The ‘rescue’ was part of a medical-emergency preparedness programme for residents of this gated community that has around 2000 families living in eight blocks with 16 floors each.
As part of the event, which went on for three hours, residents were also taught, among other things, how to revive someone who has had a cardiac-arrest, through Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
Apollo Hospitals Vanagaram supported this initiative. They conducted a free medical camp for the residents by checking the random sugar and blood pressure and demonstrated an easy-but-effective method of saving a person who has fainted due to hypoglycemia (low sugar).
In Chennai, there are many gated communities with multiple high-rise towers. On an average, each of these gated communities has more than 1,500 families.
The safety standards at these high-rise buildings are of a high degree; however, the challenge lies in having trained “emergency responders” and an “emergency plan”.
The emergencies include those resulting from a medical problem, fire and smoke, bomb threat and natural disasters such as earthquake and cyclone. There are specific measures to be taken, before professional help arrives on the scene.
These measures will be partially shaped by the geography of the place and other unique factors.
Here are certain common factors that have to be taken care of, in all these situations.
Ready information
There should be a ready reckoner that has a list of nearest hospitals with their contact numbers; their distance from our point and the contact person’s name; nearest fire station and police station with all details; and a list of doctors residing at the complex with all their information; similarly, a list of trained first-aiders and fire-fighters.
An emergency response team at a gated community should also have a list of people with impairments (mobility, visual, hearing, speech and cognitive) as well as a a list of senior citizens and infants on each floor.
Resources at hand
Fire Extinguishers, Sprinkler and hydrant systems supported by an exclusive fire pump house, diesel generators, hand torches, wheelchairs, reflective jackets for members of the Emergency Response Team (ERT)
Committee and teams
A gated community should have a Disaster Management Committee, which is the apex committee. This committee comes into the picture when a local emergency proves too difficult to handle or becomes global in nature, affecting many sections of the complex or entirely. They are responsible for mobilising the resources, external communication, supporting the ERT with facilities, food, transport and medical supplies. There should be an emergency response team for each floor. Each floor should have at least two volunteers. At the time of emergency, they should know how many flats are occupied and how many are vacant.
a) Communication team
It is responsible for communicating the nature of emergency.
If there is an entry of armed burglars, they will call their floor occupants over phone and instruct them to stay indoors.
If evacuation is required they will ensure the proper exit is taken without any confusion.
They will ensure a head count of families at the safe assembly point is carried out by the respective floor in-charges.
Anybody requiring mobility assistance and resources shall be mobilised by the floor in-charges from the support team
b) First-aid team
They will assess the medical emergency, administer first-aid, get in touch with the residential doctors and arrange for an ambulance
c) Fire-fighting Team
They will reach the scene of fire. If the fire is small, they will put it out using fire extinguishers.
If the fire in the bedroom, they will remove the gas cylinders from the kitchen. They will also remove any other major flammable items.
If the fire is more than they can handle, they’ll contact the fire service immediately.
d) Security team
They will cordon off the area won’t allow anybody except the ERT.
They will make arrangements for the quick movement of critical equipment like fire engines, ambulances to the pick-up point.
e) Support team
Based on the emergency, they will provide the supplies, which include fire extinguishers, wheelchairs, torch lights and scoop stretchers.
Chief controller
The chief controller of the ERT monitors the entire operation and is responsible for communication, coordination and safe withdrawal of ERT members from the scene of emergency.
He/she is also responsible for conducting emergency mock drills, first-aid drills, table-top exercise, checking of fire extinguishers, pump house and sprinkler systems.
He/she conducts a check of emergency stairs. He has to ensure stairs are not blocked with trash or used as a storage area.
He/she conducts training in Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation, Fire Extinguisher Operation and Kitchen Safety and other emergency-preparedness skills, once in a month.
(Senthil Kumar R.M. is a resident of Orchid Springss.)
