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Be it a bandh, a national holiday or a festival, they are on duty.
Their history
Kolkata got its first ambulance in 1902. At that time, a horse-driven carriage was used to transport the ailing. The practice continued till the 1940s.
“The horse-driven ambulances made way for cars driven by steam. Finally, the fuel-powered engines arrived,” said Secretary of the St Johns Ambulance Association, Amitava Basu.
The remuneration given to these lifesavers leaves a lot to be desired. The average salary of an ambulance driver ranges from Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,200 per month. Had they been driving any other vehicle, they would have most likely earned more.
Trained in basics
For handling emergency situations, the driver has to be a trained first-aid provider. He must know how to connect oxygen cylinders. With the number of patients suffering from cardiac arrest increasing, now it is a must for the drivers to know how to administer ‘cardio pulmonary revival’, a system of pumping oxygen into the body of the patient.
With no fixed duty hours, the drivers are always on alert. “My duty ends only after the patient is admitted in the hospital. It is against ethics for me to rest while my patient is lying in a critical state,” said Bhola Singh, a 29-year-old ambulance driver. Singh has been in the profession since the last eight years. He drives patients from the suburbs of the city to NRS and SSKM everyday.
Experiences...
“The most shocking incident occurred 15 days ago when a 16-year-old pregnant girl died owing to cardiac failure. I was driving her from Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Kalyani to SSKM,” said Singh.
“We realised that she had died only after we reached NRS. I felt helpless and the journey seemed totally futile,” said Singh, almost in tears.
Bikram Ghosh, a Tollygunge resident and ambulance driver, has also been in a similar situation more than once in his career. “This is my tenth year in the profession. It is very difficult to witness and control one’s emotions when the families lose a loved one. Care and patience are a must. One can get emotionally attached to the patient even if he is a stranger,” said the 36-year-old driver.
Desire to help
For many drivers, their desire and passion is to save lives. This is what keeps them going.
“Life is more important to me than money. I am passionate about my job. It feels great if the patient reaches the hospital safely. Many a time the patient’s relatives have left without paying me after the person died on the way,” said Singh.
But privatisation is changing the scenario with the number of ambulances owned by clubs and samities increasing.
“Almost all clubs and Durga puja samities have an ambulance of their own. In most cases, the drivers are not trained. The entry of private parties has led to the emergence of drivers who do not understand the seriousness of the profession,” said Basu.
This article is a very touchy one. It really seems to be the story of drivers who are not just driving a vehicle, rather driving to save people's life. Really they are very important part of the society. This article beautifully reflects their emotions and dedications for the job and society. Brilliant article. Congratulations
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