The 108 ambulance network has removed an emergency response officer (ERO) for poor handling of a call for help from a 19-year-old college student in Kancheepuram. The youth, who sought help after he developed breathlessness, died.
Officials said the emergency response centre received several prank calls and the ERO was trying to ascertain if the caller was genuinely seeking help.
The student, Ganesh Kumar, was a resident of Aladi Pillayar Koil Street, Kiraimandapam, Kancheepuram. On February 9, he had gone for a walk in a nearby school ground in the evening. Around 4.15 p.m., he is suspected to have suffered breathlessness and called the 108 emergency response centre. A telephonic conversation reportedly between Ganesh and the ERO was widely circulated on message sharing platform. Gasping for breath, Ganesh is heard pleading for help and asking for a vehicle to be sent to the school ground. The ERO keeps asking him to give the phone to someone near him and Ganesh keeps reiterating in the audio that there is no one by his side.
Anonymous calls
According to officials of 108 ambulance service, they frequently received anonymous/nuisance calls similar to these type of calls.
In this case, the ERO was trying to ascertain if the call was genuine. The ERO was removed from service, he added.
He said employees were provided proper training on a periodical basis.
