THE Netcare911 emergency medical personnel in Richards Bay are now even better equipped to assist victims of motor vehicle accidents in the area.
They recently acquired their own hydraulic patient access equipment, commonly known as the jaws of life.
‘Richards Bay is situated in a semi-rural environment with long stretches along the N2 highway, which means it may take some time for emergency services to reach the scene of an accident where extrication is needed,’ says Netcare Regional General Manager Marc van Heerden.
‘With this equipment we can alleviate some of the pressure on the system. It is another way in which we can work together with emergency services like the fire department to assist each other in providing the necessary assistance to the injured in the quickest possible time.
‘It consists of a hydraulic cutter, a hydraulic ram and a spreader. It is transported in a specially modified 4×4 vehicle and is taken to every emergency where it may be needed.’
‘For our practical training, the South African Police Services (SAPS) in Richards Bay very generously donated vehicles that were going to be crushed. All members of our emergency medical response team are now familiar with the use of the equipment and any new paramedics will be brought up to speed when they join our team,’ said Van Heerden.
