Nyepi Day is a public holiday observed in Bali. On this day all residents and visitors to Bali must stay in doors and observe a period of silence which lasts 24 hours. In most cases this means that people stay in doors and do not use electric light or appliances. Local village police patrol the streets enforcing the law. On this day all businesses close, hotels instruct guests to stay within the hotel grounds, no transport is allowed on the roads and the airport closes. International SOS Bali staffs are rostered on duty for the 24 hour period.

The local government offers dispensation to emergency medical cases but strict guidelines need to be adhered to and often the interpretation of the law varies from village to village.

Nyepi Day 2009 Plan for International SOS Bali

· Starts at 2400 hours on the 25^th March 2009 and finishes 0600 hours 27^th March 2009.

· The total hours for Nyepi are approx 32 hours.

· Staff will be on duty prior to the commencement from 25^th March 2009 until 0800 on the 27^th March 2009.

Evacuation /Home Visit / Multiple Casualty Incident

• The Ngurah Rai Airport will be open only to transit passengers. There will be no arrivals or departures.
• There will be ground handlers on standby at the airport during Nyepi day.
• The ambulance will be the only vehicle that will be permitted on the roads during Nyepi.
• The ambulance crews need to have the reason for being on the road, the patients name; hotel or house address and phone number with them in the event they are stopped by local village police.
• Just in case the ambulance crew is stopped and not permitted to pass it has been arranged that a Bali police member will be with them in the ambulance.
• In the event of an evacuation only a charter will be able to land.
• The charter will be able to land and the team can be transported in the ambulance to the patient. Either in hospital or at the clinic.
• In the event of a multiple casualty incident the CMO and Branch Manager will be on standby. The ambulance can be sent to collect the CMO and Branch Manager.
• Patient’s who require X-rays will be bought to the clinic unless it is deemed that they may need a CT scan in which case they will be transferred to Sanglah hospital with prior notification.
• X-rays can then be scanned and sent to Jakarta for interpretation.
• Operations staff, medical staff, nurses and drivers will all be available during this period.

Popularity: 46% [?]