Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi launched the Emergency Management and Research Institute's (EMRI) 108 emergency ambulance service in the state here on Monday.

According to the MoU signed between Tamil Nadu Government and EMRI, initially 198 ambulances would be provided by the state government at the cost of Rs 17.82 crore to EMRI.

EMRI in turn would provide required personnel for manning the emergency response centre and the ambulances.

The ambulances would be equipped with emergency equipment ranging from defibrillators to ventilators, to handle almost any emergency situation.

Apart from this, the ambulances would also be equipped with GIS and GPS systems, which would help locate the geographical position of emergency scene and help the nearest ambulance reach the site in the shortest possible time.

The 108 emergency service is free of cost and the 108 was a toll free number, which can be accessed from any landline or mobile phone without any prefix or suffix.

The emergency response centre physicians and the emergency medical technicians in the ambulance would provide free pre-hospital care while transporting the victim in the ambulance to the nearest hospital of his choice.

At present, EMRI would operate from the Kasturba Gandhi Hospital for women and children in the city.