EST asks residents to help them to save lives

Members of the Emergency Support Team (EST), a group of volunteers, are pleading with residents to join their fight to save lives.

This comes after EST workers saved the life of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle last month in Daspoort, to the west of Pretoria.

The non-profit was registered in 2019, although its members have been serving the community since 2015 under a different name.

Founder and director, Xander Loubser, says EST came about when he saw the need for emergency services within the community, as he is a registered paramedic with Best Care.

“This is not a regulated industry, so to speak, the nearest regulations you’d get were the EMS regulations, which were promulgated in 2017, and that’s specifically for emergency medical services and ambulance services.

“Anything that the community does at the end of the day, we want to ensure it’s not abused.

“It’s not an emergency service, it’s a support team for emergency services, be it ambulances, security, [or] fire brigades.

“Our team of first responders has the necessary knowledge and qualifications to provide support to the existing emergency services,” Loubser said.

He says the organisation buys time for victims before they can be attended to by medical professionals.

Loubser added that the team is under-resourced, and that there are more emergencies occurring than they can attend to.

He stressed that though there’s a need for these types of organisations, they must be managed in a legal and official way.

EST volunteers are not allowed to have red lights or sirens on their vehicles, vehicles must be registered appropriately, and the volunteers must wear appropriate clothing when responding to emergencies.

“We need people to buy into the idea of making a difference.

“Our responders do everything out of their own pockets, and all the funds we raise from our side are invested in equipment.

“Disposable equipment like bandages, splints, burn shields, oxygen delivery devices, and all of these things cost money.

“So, we do support our members by supplying them with equipment where we can, but most of the members go above and beyond and buy their own equipment.

“They make sure they have equipment like emergency cones, safety lights, uniforms, all of those things cost money.

“The most expensive thing, I think, for any organisation doing this today is fuel. Getting to scenes, if they are enabled to get to a certain location, the manpower is there and they can make a difference,” Loubser said.

“Mid-month, toward the last quarter of the month, is when activities slow down among members.”

The team is currently setting up a Payfast account, where monthly contributions can be made that will go to equipment, fuel, and medical kits, among other items.

Loubser says a common occurrence is ambulance services being abused, as not every situation is life-threatening.

“If you, for example, have a person lying on the street, having stomach pains, that’s not always a life-threatening situation.

“If the person has been having pains for multiple days, yes, there’s that human dignity we have to take into account, but you can’t expect an ambulance to be there in five minutes.

“The ambulance that is there in five minutes is for the person who has had a cardiac arrest, or has just drowned, or has burned. People have to be understanding of that.

“Government EMS and even private EMS won’t take five minutes to be at such a case, where the patient can wait for the ambulance.

“That’s why EST is so important because they can accommodate the patient while waiting for the ambulance,” Loubser said.

Motorists are advised to adhere to the rules of the road, especially during weekends, as the team reports attending to a lot more car accidents during this time.

EST does not have a 24/7 emergency line, and assistance is dependent on the availability of volunteers.

Residents are advised to be more involved with their communities through forums, groups, and other initiatives.

Loubser believes these are vital in preventing emergencies and attending to them more quickly when they do occur.

“Just get involved with your community. You know your community better than anyone else, better than the thieves who break in, better than visitors, so get involved. Know what’s happening at your neighbour’s place, and set up emergency procedures.

“We operate in Pretoria and are in most of the community WhatsApp groups all over; most of our directors share numbers when needed, and as we get cases and are monitoring cases, non-dedicatedly, we will turn up when we are available.

“This can only change or become more solid if we have a more solid structure and team in place,” Loubster said.

During the pedestrian incident on June 28, Elsje Truter, a Ward 1 resident and assistant to Ward 1 councillor, Leon Kruyshaar, took her blanket from the car to cover the victim who was involved in the hit and run. The thermal emergency blanket was enough to keep him warm while they waited for the Gauteng Ambulance to arrive.

One of the EST members who responded to the scene had this to say, “While bracing the cold and the weather, we had a special visitor. DA member Leon Kryslaar and DA member Elsje visited us.

“While we were treating the patient, Elsje went to their vehicle and returned with a blanket for us to put over the space blanket that we used. Due to the cold and the wind, Elsje donated her blanket to us to use for the patient.

“I was touched by this gesture and realised they truly care about the community. Thank you, Leon and Elsje, you made a difference.

“I would also like to thank Proshield Security Services for their assistance with road safety and security standby. You guys always have our backs, even on a cold, windy night in the dark streets.

“We appreciate your assistance, and we realise that Proshield goes above and beyond for the community! Any donations, no matter how small they may be, will always be welcome.”

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