SHIMLA: In an effort to bridge the gap between emergency services and the community, a five-member team from Himachal Pradesh’s Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112) held an extensive public outreach programme at Chapslee School on Saturday.
The awareness drive, conducted during a school exhibition at the invitation of the Chapslee administration, set up a dedicated pavilion to educate students, faculty, and visiting parents on navigating modern distress-response tools.
Beyond 100: A Unified Safety Umbrella
Addressing attendees, officials detailed the unified nature of the 112 helpline, which consolidates police, fire and rescue, medical emergencies, child protection, and women’s helpline services under a single roof.
The team conducted live demonstrations of key features on the 112 India mobile app, notably the real-time ‘TrackMe’ feature designed to assist commuters and women traveling alone through location telemetry. Crucial linkages with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) helpline were also highlighted for highway distress assistance.
Beyond physical distress calls, the personnel urged students and parents to treat 112 as a confidential channel to report illicit narcotics activity, focusing particularly on the menace of chitta (adulterated heroin) impacting local youth.
From 34th to 1st: A Leap in National Response Times
The session coincided with a major operational milestone for the state. Operating under the Director General of Police with state government backing, Himachal Pradesh’s ERSS-112 recently surged from the 34th position nationally to rank No. 1 across all Indian states and Union Territories in average emergency response time.
The interactive stall saw heavy engagement from attendees, many of whom admitted they had previously viewed 112 strictly as a police dispatch line rather than a multi-agency shield.
The event also sparked interest across local academia, with representatives from Shimla's Paradise School requesting a similar orientation on their campus.
Officials noted that institutional drives at the grassroots level remain essential to prevent helpline misuse, build youth trust in law enforcement, and ensure residents know how to call for swift assistance when seconds count.
