Rescuers return from Philippines
Three Benoni residents returned to South Africa on November 27, after embarking on a gruelling Rescue South Africa mission, to assist survivors of Hurricane Haiyan, in the Philippines.
The rescue team consisted of over 38 people from the Ekurhuleni, Tshwane and Johannesburg municipalities, as well as ER24 employees and various doctors, including Daveyton residents Gerald Moswathupa (Ekurhuleni fire and rescue instructor) and Thomas Zulu (Duduza Fire Station shift manager), William Ntladi (Ekurhuleni spokesperson for disaster and emergency management services) and Farrarmere resident and ER24 advanced life support paramedic Alastair Lithgow.
The team were in the Philippines for eight days, arriving on November 17 and departing on November 25.
In that time they made a huge difference to a district which was severely affected by the hurricane, which tore across the islands in early November.
Rescuers worked tirelessly to get the Abuyoc District Hospital up-and-running, after seeing the extent of damage to it and the fact that its operation would benefit countless people.
A few days into their rescue mission the team arrived at the hospital, which had no roof, damaged X-ray facilities, flooded operating rooms and damaged wards, including casualty and the maternity section.
There was also not a single doctor in sight when the team arrived and staff were unsure whether the doctors had survived the hurricane.
According to Lithgow, when task force leader Marius du Toit saw the hospital, he said: “Hier kan ons werk doen”.
Lithgow said their plan was to get the hospital back to a functioning state.
One section of the building was repaired with the roof also being re-erected.
In addition, over 700 patients were treated in a week.
Lithgow said he found his mission trip very rewarding.
“You are there to make a difference for the short time there,” he explained.
“You are hot, sticky, uncomfortable, tired and sore, but so what? You are there to make a difference.
“We all chose to be there.
“It is incredibly rewarding, this trip especially, Japan [earthquake and tsunami in 2011] was different, because all we did was find bodies.
“We gave the Japanese closure, but this trip I came back so happy.
“We gave an entire district back a hospital.”
He said the trip made his realise how important things are in his life.
Lithgow said a lot of people in the Philippines are incredibly poor; they don’t have a lot and a lot is ripped away in one day.
“It reminds you of how fragile life is and makes you all the more thankful for everything you have: family, friends, a roof over your head and the clothes on your back.
“Some of those people lost absolutely everything.
“We made a huge difference.
“That entire district has a hospital where they can go to to seek help.
“We saved at least a life a day and how do you put any amount of money on saving a life?”
Moswathupa said he will remember his time in the Philippines for many years to come.
“You appreciate life for what we are and what we have,” he said.
“A lot of us wake up and complain about life and our salaries, but we learnt we are very blessed to live the life we have.”
The team were awarded the Military Civic Action Medal for their work in the Philippines.
