George Herald

Ready to rescue

- Kristy Kolberg

The Outeniqua Trails Search and Rescue team conducted a scenario-based training exercise on Tuesday 11 December to test their readiness for the festive season.

The team that consists of volunteers, mainly local athletes and trail runners, is a division of Emergency Disaster Response (EDR) Internatio­nal. They are a George-based non-profit disaster risk reduction and response agency that operates internatio­nally.

According to Gee Swart, EDR's director, a scenario was created where the team was informed that a couple's return from their hike to Cradock peak was five hours overdue. A search grid was drawn up based on their last known location and where their vehicle was parked.

"Our team was divided into four smaller teams who were each allocated a route to clear as they made their way up the mountain. The first team located the missing party in less than 50 minutes and assessed them for injuries. One of the 'patients', who was 'injured', was tended to, after which he was carried out of the ravine to the nearest access point where he could be loaded into an ambulance," said Swart.

He said that all the participan­ts showed amazing teamwork and provided the correct first-aid.

"They took all needed safety measures to ensure that both they and their patients were safe as they extracted him over 3km over treacherou­s terrain."

He congratula­ted the team on their "textbook rescue" and also thanked local photograph­er Deidré Cloete for joining them and capturing the scenario so well.

Find out more about Outeniqua Trails Search & Rescue and EDR Internatio­nal on Facebook or call 083 395 9393.

 ??  ?? The rescue team taking their ‘patient’ to safety.
The rescue team taking their ‘patient’ to safety.
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 ?? Photos: Deidré Cloete ?? Annemarie Cronjé, Thea-Mari van der Sandt, Murray Reid, Henry Hill, Marc Wierzba, Gee Swart, Deon Greenwood, Shaun Schofield and Tanya Osborne in the mountain during the training excercise.
Photos: Deidré Cloete Annemarie Cronjé, Thea-Mari van der Sandt, Murray Reid, Henry Hill, Marc Wierzba, Gee Swart, Deon Greenwood, Shaun Schofield and Tanya Osborne in the mountain during the training excercise.
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 ??  ?? Grant Chapman was the ‘patient’ in the exercise.
Grant Chapman was the ‘patient’ in the exercise.
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