CoE firefighters undergo lifesaving training
“Discipline and expectations as USAR Technician are the safe demonstration of procedures to both team members and public members the injured and uninjured.”
The City of Ekurhuleni continued to empower its firefighter’s skills in all technical rescue models as per International Search and Rescue Advisory Group’s standards.
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William Ntladi, City of Ekurhuleni’s DEMS media liaison, said seven technicians were assessed through a structural and confined space rescue exercise which ran from 09:50 on May 5 to 06:12 on May 6.
The training event was held at Leon Ferreira Fire Station in Boksburg.
“A case study given to seven students was that of an earthquake registering 9.4 on the Richter Scale with a depth of 25km,” said Ntladi.
The scenario included ultiple floor structures collapsing, patientse trapped in voids of buildings and vehicles and some were crushed by heavy concrete slabs. Ntladi said all needed intervention by the technical rescuers.
“The call came in at 09:50 and deployment took place immediately.”
Rescuers under the guidance of course coordinator and district manager Gerald Moswathupa, leading instructor station manager Jonas Finger and volunteer USAR-SA instructor and ex-CoE firefighter/rescue technician Toney Stacey, went through a testing assessment from the time the call was received until May 6 when the last patient was recovered.
Ntladi said the team was expected to demonstrate their skills in a structural collapse, confined space and vehicle rescue.
He said while doing this the rescuers had to prioritise patients following medical practice using a triage system.
The first live patient was rescued with minor injuries at 15:48 on May 5 and handed over to receiving medical facility.
“Discipline and expectations as USAR Technician are the safe demonstration of procedures to both team members and public members, be it the injured and uninjured,” said Ntladi.
“Technicians should prioritise saving lives and no shortcuts must be taken as those can lead to detrimental effects to the entire operation. Teamwork is an absolute necessity.”
He said all seven technicians applied themselves throughout the entire operation even when evaluators threw curve balls at them.
Some of the challenges that they faced included aftershocks from the earthquake and adverse weather conditions.
Ntladi said the remaining ‘live’ patients were recovered at 19:08 and 21:39 on May 5.
The deceased were recovered at 22:10 and 22:32 with the remaining bodies recovered at 06:00 and 06:12 on May 6.
Ntladi said the exercise was called off at 10:00 on May 6 after all the equipment was cleaned, packed and ready to be used for the next operation.
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