Crew commander selected to be an assessor at World Rescue Challenge
The challenge takes place in La Rochelle, France, from September 12 to 15.
Phillip Jacobs “PJ” Reid, Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) crew commander based at Leon Ferreira Fire Station in Boksburg is excited to be a shadow assessor in the 20th World Rescue Challenge (WRC).
Reid will be one of two South African assessors and it will be his second time being an assessor at the WRC.
The WRC is a unique event, which sees international teams and assessors come together to promote and share skills and experience in the vehicle rescue and casualty care.
It is hosted by different countries each year.
Accident scenes will be staged and the teams from across the world will compete in extricating patients from the wreck.
The teams will be assessed on three safety categories: incident commanding, technical rescue (using of tools to take out a patient) and on medical technique they use.
They will also be assessed on professionalism, speed and care.
The categories include general approach to the scene, survey of the scene, casualty care and assessment and communication among the team and the patient and also the assessors.
All these have to be done within a specified time limit.
It is hosted by the World Rescue Organisation. The South African Medical Rescue Organisation (SAMRO) is also involved.
Reid stressed that although the main aim in an emergency is to extract the patient from danger, safety of involved emergency personnel is also key. He said being selected as an assessor is the highlight of his career spanning 27 years.
“I can’t wait to go to France. I learned quite a lot from last year’s competition, however going to another country, I think I will learn even more.
“The scenarios will differ from last year’s challenge in Cape Town, which was around public transport. This year they’re cutting up brand new Renault Megane motors, which consist of the best technology in the world, ” he explained.
“The main objective of the WRC is to share knowledge. The South African will, for example, pick up something small and bring it back home.”
William Ntladi, DEMS spokesperson, said that as a City they are fortunate to have somebody of Reid’s calibre going to attend this particular level of competition.
