Auroville Ambulance Service

Email: ambulance@auroville.org.in

Available 24/7 

Overview:  The Auroville Ambulance Service started operating on the 15th of August 2012.  It runs under, and is supported by, the Auroville institute of Integral Health, though the vehicle and some of the medical equipment inside was generously funded through donations from the Government of India.

The Ambulance service is used on an average of one trip every 3-5 days.  This figure includes medical transport to and from hospital for people whose condition makes them unable to sit in a car, as well as emergency transport to hospital.  About two thirds of the calls received by the ambulance dispatch are not emergencies and do not require ambulance transport, and  in these cases, the dispatcher provides information on how best to manage the situation.

The Ambulance service team presently consists of an advanced paramedic, who also doubles as the ambulance driver, and members of the Auroville Safety and Security service, who support him in dispatch and on-scene management of the situation.  Doctors and nurses are on-call should there be a need for additional support.   The staff have specific training and qualification in the management of heart related emergencies and trauma care, and continuous education in the field of emergency management is being pursued.

Service outline: The AV Ambulance Service provides the following scope of service to residents and guests of Auroville:

• 24/7 availability of emergency response with an equipped and staffed ambulance vehicle, which arrives at the scene of emergency, within AV city area, in under thirty minutes.
• First aid and treatment on site and during transport with an advanced paramedic on board.
• Providing information over the phone on what to do in urgent medical situations which don’t require ambulance transport.

When to use the Auroville Ambulance?  (24/7 AV Ambulance Telephone: 9442224680)        Call the Auroville Ambulance service, if you, or anyone around you, experiences any of the following situations. Call the Ambulance dispatcher if you are unsure.

• Unconscious person
• Difficulty breathing
• Sudden changes in level of consciousness (disoriented, difficulty speaking)
• Heavy bleeding due to accident or trauma, or fall from a height
• Strong pain
• Major or multiple injury
• Chest pain
• Seizures
• Signs of stroke: Speech difficulty, facial droop, one sided weakness in limbs
• Severe allergic reactions, snake bites or other life-threatening conditions

How to use the Auroville Ambulance Service: (24/7 AV Ambulance Telephone : 9442224680)
To avoid delays and to maximize efficient response times, the Auroville Ambulance team  requests callers to support them in the following manner;
When dialing the Auroville Ambulance , speak clearly and provide following details :

• Caller name
• Location of accident/ emergency site with landmarks
• Name of patient
• Sex and approximate age (if known) of patient,
• Is the person conscious?
• Is the person breathing?
• Describe injury briefly.

Provide any further available information as requested by the dispatcher. This is essential for the medical staff and persons handling the patient during transport.

• Follow over the phone all first aid advice as given by the dispatcher.
• The caller should wait till the ambulance arrives.
• Do not move an injured person.
• Do not load the patient into a taxi where he cannot get medical support needed during transportation. It is strongly recommended to wait a few minutes more if required for the ambulance to arrive than carry away the patient in a panic stricken manner.
• Organize for someone to accompany the patient and stay with them in hospital if required.
• Pack and take along personal items, money, current medication and all relevant medical reports.
• Being calm and supportive towards the patient and the ambulance staff facilitates the best outcome.

Ambulance Trip Costs:
The price per trip for AV residents is Rs. 1,500, to or from Puducherry and Rs. 10,000 to or from Chennai, the cost of ambulance services is covered by the Health Fund for members. The price per trip for guests is Rs. 5,000 to or from AV- Pondy and Rs. 15,000 to or from AV-Chennai. The Ambulance service is available for all persons needing medical transport within the AV territory. For Aurovilians, Newcomers and Friends of Auroville, the ambulance will respond to calls outside Auroville as well.

Contact numbers:
Note: For people without Auroville resident status, who may need attention outside of AV, please use the free government ambulance service or the locally available ambulance services listed in the contacts below.

24/7 Government Ambulance: 108

PIMS Hospital, Puducherry: 18004259009  / 0413 – 2655055 (24/7 emergency hotline)