Emergency services tested with accident simulation
Emergency services rushed to the scene of a serious accident between Hectorspruit and Marloth Park last Wednesday morning, only to find that it was a simulation to test their response time to and interaction on the scene.
HECTORSPRUIT – The accident simulation between the town and Marloth Park’s turnoff last Wednesday entailed emergency services dealing with a collision between two light motor vehicles and was arranged on order of the Ehlanzeni National Road Incident Management System (RIMS).
Two serious injuries and two fatalities were reported and paramedics had to assess and stabilise the victims.
The fire department responded and had to extinguish one of the vehicles which had “caught fire”.
Traffic officials and TRAC’s team helped to reroute traffic until the scene was cleared about an hour and a half later.
TRAC’s Accident Response Unit and the RIMS steering committee were the only ones who knew beforehand that the accident was staged and were standing by to monitor the stakeholders’ performances.
According to Solange Soares-Nicholson of TRAC, the simulation was considered successful and all the stakeholders will receive feedback on their performances. This will enable them to work on problem areas and aid in ensuring that all role players can work together effectively on accident scenes.
Soares-Nicholson explained that they try to do two per region per year, with Ehlanzeni split into Mbombela and Nkomazi.
Due to the number of accidents on the N4, especially between Mbombela and Maputo, simulations such as these helps keep emergency services on their toes.
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It is essential that accidents, especially those that block the road, can be cleared quickly as there are no alternative roads on certain stretches of the N4.
Soares-Nicholson explained that TRAC monitors the road closely and takes corrective action to improve safety at prominent accident spots. They also work with law enforcement and emergency services to ensure road users get the best care possible during emergency situations.
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The TRACAssist emergency roadside and accident response unit patrols the N4 route daily and the TRAC Helpdesk is always available to report emergencies or incidents.
TRACAssist’s service is free of charge, with motorists only liable for additional items or services required to solve their problem such as a tow truck, petrol or new tyre. All the unit’s officers are trained to secure accident and incident scenes to ensure road users’ safety and provide support during stressful situations.
The TRAC Helpdesk can be contacted on 0800-87-22-64 in South Africa and (+258) 84-34-34-346 in Mozambique.
