KARACHI   -   Sindh Emergency Rescue Services (SERS) Rescue 1122 ambulance service receives 5000 calls per day for medical related emergencies and rescue operations. This was revealed during the “Safe Karachi Conference: Strengthening Urban Resilience” conference organised by K-Electric in collaboration with Institute of business Administration, held to hold a dialogue on strengthening urban resilience for a safer Karachi.

During the conference at the IBA City Campus hosted by analyst Zarrar Khuhro, the speakers discussed a vision for a safer Karachi and its preparedness for disasters including monsoon flooding and heat waves. The event discussed public threats including regulatory enforcement and safety hazards and other challenges facing the city.

Speaking during the conference, Brigadier (Retd) Tariq Lakhair, Chief Executive Officer, Sindh Emergency Rescue Services (SERS), said Rescue 1122 Sindh was launched in 2021, has gradually spread to 30 districts and 1280 locations across the province. While emphasizing on emergency response, Brig. (Retd) Tariq Lakhair said the Rescue 1122 receives 5000 calls every day, of which nearly 99 per cent are medical-related and half are for rescue services. He said an ambulance costs 20 million rupees and is equipped with a ventilator and paramedic facilities. He further mentioned that a basic ambulance reaches the patient in three minutes and an advanced ambulance reaches in seven minutes.

He further mentioned they have provided services during 650,000 road accidents but there has been no incident of theft and all personal items are returned. He mentioned that over 762 babies have been safely delivered in the ambulance.  SERS have started a motorcycle ambulance and marine ambulance but currently doesn’t have the resources to start an air ambulance.

During the conference, the Alertli app was launched which aims to report safety hazards including encroachments. While introducing the app, Noor Afshan, Head of Brand Marketing K-Electric, said Karachi is a city resilient against odds.

According to a report, 70 percent accidents occur inside homes and private premises and there were 388 incidents of electrocution reported between 2019 and 2023. Alertli utilizes crowd sourcing and geo fencing to report safety hazards or accidents. Citizens are urged to download the app and contribute to improving public safety.