Rescue workers ready for the festive season
Disasters and emergencies strike when least expected.
City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) spokesperson William Ntladi said DEMS provide practical solutions in skills development and empowerment for frontline workers to be able to articulate necessary manoeuvrability in achieving ultimate lifesaving activities when needed.
“Consideration of specialised rescue skill is a need amongst the jurisdiction and beyond. CoE is geographically one of the cities in Gauteng that is on a dolomitic soil.
“Since dolomite may present dangers associated with surface subsidence and sinkholes, meaning that ponding water and leaking waterborne infrastructure may negatively influence the risk profile of such ground.
“Engineering requirements of underground pipeline in various areas around the city entails that a specialised skill such as trench rescue is of paramount importance to the service.
“Trench rescues have very high morbidity rates and the forces imposed on the victims through soil weight are unforgiving. One cubic metre of soil is equivalent to one ton in weight.
“The window of opportunity to enter the trench and relieve is very small. The likelihood of further engulfment or secondary collapse poses a significant risk to rescuers. Rescuers should establish engineering systems that will protect them during operations,” he said.
As we approach the festive season, DEMS will be ready for the eventualities that might happen.
“Sixty highly skilled specialised rescuers will be an addition to the already existing other rescuers in emergency services. Currently the students are divided into five smaller groups to comply with Covid-19 regulations.
“In terms of training modules as per the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1006, trench rescue course is the second last module out of the total of 17 to complete and qualify as a technician.
“As the only municipality in South Africa accredited to render rescue technician courses, CoE-DEMS intends to equip almost all its firefighters with this specialised training course.”
The 17 modules to complete include rope rescue, confine space rescue, structural collapse rescue, vehicle rescue, swift water rescue, wilderness rescue, trench rescue and heavy machinery rescue.
Contact:
• City of Ekurhuleni Call Centre number: (011) 458-0911.
• Landline toll free number: 10177
• Cellphone toll free number: 112.
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