EEMA Martin Emmanuel
We are living in a world where ‘being negative’ is ‘positive living’. The pandemic has tremendously changed the world in terms of living, thinking and wellbeing. We always want positive thinking and positivity around, but Covid-19 has made us laud ‘Being Negative is the Best and Happy Solution of Life’. The psychological impact of the pandemic was tremendous in our country, when the second wave hit strongly, shattering the strongest and healthiest people around us.
EEMA South Initiatives
The world has changed a lot after the invasion of Covid-19. The event and entertainment industry has lost almost every business and some of them have lost literally everything. After the second wave hit the country, the number of patients increased beyond control and people working in event management companies and their families also fell prey to the pandemic. When we found that the fraternity is suffering and support and help for them and their families are very much in need, EEMA South launched the initiative to build a ‘Task Force’ across all states. It became the responsibility of the fellows to stand united irrespective of language, region or anything that could divide us. I took the initiative to call up an emergency online meeting with the EEMA team of the South to form a system of support for the fellow event managers and their families who are facing the adversity of Covid-19. Everyone understood the seriousness of the situation as each one was facing the odds. The basic instinct of an event manager was triggered; they sprang into action. Crisis management was a routine game for us.
Formation of EEMA South’s Task Force was a voluntary effort as everyone shared the great feeling of helping the needy fellows. In no time the Task Force was formed in all five states (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala).
A workable plan was the first to be devised and the experience of a seasoned event manager helped us with it. Our research identified seven crucial requirements that could arise for Covid-19 patients:
1. Online doctor consultation and beds at hospitals – Ward / Room / Oxygen bed / ICU / Ventilator
2. Oxygen cylinder / Refill
3. Home treatment tele-consultation / Bed at home / Nursing at home
4. Ambulance
5. Medicine and injections
6. Plasma donor arrangement
7. Food and others services
The How
Task force was set up in all states. A common WhatsApp group was formed with a task leader for each state. The task force contact numbers were circulated to fellow members who were facing the real test of the time to contact us at will. Calls started pouring in as panic-stricken people needed support. The team started arranging all sorts of help for everyone who called the helpline numbers circulated. Each requirement was posted in the WhatsApp group and the members voluntarily took up each requirement with care and tried selflessly to help them. There were distress calls for beds, treatment, medicines etc. even at midnight; the task force handled it with patience and care, as they knew every simple act of kindness will make a huge difference in the panic-stricken patient.
Doctors, hospitals, life support teams, ambulance services etc. helped the task force in giving all needed help in time. I could find that patients, at times, had gone frantic, but our leaders had all the patience to calm them down. Working day and night like a call centre, calling and attending calls, they provided help for those who needed it. I could feel God’s grace upon each and every person who has worked for the cause.
Activity Goes Public
EEMA South started this Covid Task Force activity as support to help the fellow members of the event management industry and their families. But the demand for help was huge; soon the Task Force started getting calls from people outside the event fraternity. When we found such an upturn in the activity, we were skeptical of processing such a huge demand of requests from all around. But I was very confident and was emotionally ready to face everything for the cause. Our team leaders shared the same confidence and very soon we took the decision to extend the activity to the general crowd outside the event fraternity. We are now proud of ourselves that this life-saving decision has saved thousands of valuable lives. Our daily evaluation of the situation on a Zoom call found that as the demand for beds in hospitals, medicines and injections, oxygen, food for isolated and people in quarantine were pouring in, processing the information and verifying the data was the initial task, which the Task Force could solve smartly. Each request we received was verified before it was put out for action. Numerous event managers from different parts of the country volunteered and their determination has helped in getting the support system going with ease. We got great support from health departments, hospitals, doctors and from other life support teams.
The Real Covid Warriors
Most of the Task Force members are the real Covid warriors. They consoled and stood in support with the patients in their worst ever time. They started counseling and giving instructions to them and made them brave enough to face the pandemic with courage. The warriors believed that the mental support also served as immunity boosters to the patients that enabled them to fight back to life. Thankfully, most of the Task Force members are happy now, grateful that they could save thousands of lives.
Initiate-Stand-Motivate-Lead
There should be someone to initiate a good act, motivate and stand with the team and lead them to face every odd, find solutions and decide to proceed toward success. The success of the Covid Task Force is because of the noble and able actions of the team leaders.
Finally, as the second wave of Corona is subsiding, the Task Force is happy to have saved lives and thankfully remembers all who have supported the activity with selfless attitude. They wish to thank all doctors, hospitals, medicine supporters, life support system teams, plasma donors etc. without whom this activity would not have attained success. More than the claim of a successful activity, it is the happiness of saving thousands of lives that makes the Covid Task Force beam with pride.
The EEMA South Task Force would like to thank:
- A Venkateshwar Ar
- Akshay Iyer
- Aliasger Saiger
- Amith T Pai
- Anchor Jyothi Kirplani
- Anita Makharia
- Antony John Britto R
- Aparajita Bandopadhyay
- Ashwini Ramesh
- Dr. Bala Gurusamy R
- Balaji R
- Deep Krishna
- Deepika Mahidara
- Edwin M
- J P Leelaram
- Jai Krishna
- Jerome Deepak John
- Karthikeyan R
- Kruthika
- Lohith Gowda
- Manpreeth Singh
- Maryan Manasseh
- Mathews Naveen P R
- Mohammad Ayub M A
- Mohana R
- Oishani Bandopadhyay
- Palanichamy S
- Pallavi
- Prabakran
- Prabu S
- Praburam Niranjan
- Raj Shekar
- Raju Kannampuzha
- Riaz Basha
- Saathvik S A
- Dr. Sabari Manikandan S
- Dr. Sankar Ganesh P
- Sanober Mannan
- Dr. Sathish C
- Senthil Kumar
- Sharmila Kasala
- Shivaani Sen
- Shravan V (Aka) Mc Shravan Upamanyu
- Sidhesh Kandiyil
- Sreenivas
- Sri Sailam C
- Srikant Kanoi
- Sriraam M
- Stanley Daniel D
- Sundar
- Suresh
- Survinder Pal Singh (Lucky)
- Tony Stephen
- Udhayakanth
- Vasanth Gopal
- Veenasri
- Vijay
- Vinod Gopal D V
- Dr. Vinoth Devarajan
[The author is Martin Emmanuel, Founder and Managing Director, Razzmatazz and Vice President (South), Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA).]
(Updated at 12.30hrs on 12 June 2021 to credit members of the EEMA South Task Force and others who contributed to its relief initiatives during the second Covid wave.)
The VP of EEMA South writes that more than the claim of a successful activity, it is the happiness born of saving thousands of lives that makes the Covid Task Force beam with pride.