The Traffic Police in collaboration with the Kerala Government Medical Association has launched an Emergency Life Support Training Program to equip police officers to act as trained rescuers during road accidents and rescue missions.
Launched at the Kozhikode City Police Headquarters Training Center on Wednesday (November 5), the project is expected to cover at least two policemen from all police stations across the state in several phases with support from district level personnel. Later these trained officers will be inducted as Chief Trainers to coordinate various public trainings.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Arun K. Pavithran inaugurated the first round of the training, which was presided over by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) L. Suresh Babu. The project coordinators stated that both theoretical and practical teaching will be handled by a panel of expert doctors in intensive care.
“The main objective is to build a community of confident and skilled first responders capable of providing immediate care to accident victims during the golden hour of intervention,” said Mr. Suresh Babu. He said the practical sessions will boost the confidence of the participating police officers and enhance their ability to handle emergencies effectively.
Some of the newly trained police officers said that a trained paramedic would be able to make a vital intervention in the first minutes after an accident. They also found that the latest move will not only boost the confidence of police officers in the field but also inspire the public to scientifically learn life-saving techniques.
A police officer in charge of coordinating the project said the training would be done in batches to accommodate police officers from different stations through coordinated service arrangements. At a subsequent stage, proposals for the training of student police cadets and other volunteer groups associated with the police would be considered.
The project was designed keeping in mind the success of an earlier flagship initiative called ANGELS (Active Network Group of Emergency Life Savers), which transformed ambulance drivers into life savers in Kozhikode district. It was later expanded as a model initiative to other parts of the state.
City transport sources said the project was designed keeping in mind the high number of deaths in accidents. According to official figures from the State Crime Records Bureau, the state recorded 48,841 accidents resulting in 3,714 deaths in 2024. Two-wheeler riders topped the casualty list with 1,470 dead. In Kozhikode district alone, 315 people died in more than 4,900 road accidents.
Published – 07 Nov 2025 19:59 IST
