“There is an emergency here [Pahalgam], send your ambulance immediately,” was the call that Irfan Khan, 33, received on the helpline number 9484100200 on 
Tuesday afternoon. Within minutes, Irfan alerted Mubashir Wani, emergency medical trainer (EMT), and driver Manzoor Ahmed, 38, who were on the fully equipped cardiac ambulance, located close to Pahalgam, and rushed to the spot along with government ambulance 108 and other ambulance services.

“It was only on reaching the location, it was learnt that it was a terror attack at Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam, Srinagar, which is not a motorable area. The security forces were getting those injured to the ambulance, and they were rushed to the Government Medical College, Anantnag, J&K,” recalled Irfan, speaking to mid-day from Srinagar. Irfan works for an NGO—Help Foundation, J&K, whose office is in Tulsibagh, Srinagar, and they have three cardiac ambulance services located at three different strategic points—Srinagar, Anantnag and Pattan, for handling any disaster or emergency calls.