EMERGENCY SERVICES SHOW THEIR SKILLS
Without the sterling efforts of paramedics, police officers, firefighters and traffic officials, it’s likely that fewer people would survive traumatic events.
On International Trauma Day (October 17), Life Hilton Hospital hosted a special event to celebrate the work done by the emergency services in the Midlands.
The programme got underway with an appearance by the beautiful fur babies at Angel Paws Therapy Dogs, who regularly visit the hospital to see patients.
Following a welcome by hospital manager, Nicholas Thorne, participants were given information about fractures and casts, snake bites, suturing a laceration of the heart and how to do a heart ultra sound.
The hospital staff, and some special guests from the Grade two classes at The Wykeham Collegiate and Cordwalles Preparatory School, then headed outdoors for some gripping demonstrations.
Brave nurse, Lesley Coulthard, the unit manager of the surgical ward, volunteered to be an injured patient, who needed to be lowered from the roof of the hospital.
Warrant Officer Karl Gous, from the SAPS Search and Rescue K9 unit in Pietermaritzburg, and Warrant Officer, Fred Brandt, from Search and Rescue in Hilton, were joined on the roof by Midlands EMS paramedics Matthew Visser, Shaun Hoft and Ryno van Aswegen. After assessing the condition of their patient, she was stabilised, placed in a rescue stretcher and guided safely to the ground by Visser, who abseiled down the wall.
She was then placed on an ambulance stretcher with the help of Roland Robertse and Jaco Erasmus and taken to hospital for further care.
A short while later, Hilton residents were no doubt thinking there had been another accident on the N3 when uMngeni Municipality traffic officers, Midlands EMS paramedics, SAPS search and rescue and firefighters raced across the bridge, sirens blaring, to ‘respond’ to a car accident, which had left pharmacist, Paula Brown, trapped and injured inside her vehicle.
Midlands EMS advanced life support paramedic, Erasmus, immediately checked how she was doing and then clambered through a window to provide further protection and care.
Brown was covered with a blanket, given support for her back and neck, had a drip put in and had her blood pressure checked.
Meanwhile, police officers and firefighters from the Umgungundlovu Fire Department debated on the best way to remove her.
The ‘Jaws of Life’ were used to cut the doors and roof off the car, after which Brown was carefully removed by the paramedics and taken to a nearby ambulance.
The final demonstration was given by the firefighters, who showed how they battle a car fire.
Seeing the emergency services at work clearly enthralled the children and adults watching – but the events also had a serious purpose.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), trauma is a major cause of death and disability across the world.
Its research has also shown that at least 50% of road deaths in developing countries could have been prevented with effective interference after trauma has occurred.
Commemorating International Trauma Day helps to emphasise the importance of saving and protecting a life during the first, and most critical moments, of a traumatic event, whether that is a car crash or a fall.