VAN DER BIJL PARK [ Vaal University ] on 31 July 2009 at 13:15

At least one man was killed and another seriously wounded in an attempted cash heist at the Vaal University this afternoon.

Shortly after 13:00 paramedics from Sedibeng responded to the scene and found chaos on the campus as students were shocked about the incident.

One man, believed to be a suspect was found dead near the cash van with a gunshot wound to his head and another, also believed to be a suspect, in a critical condition. The man also sustained a gunshot wound to his head and paramedics initiated advanced life support on the scene.

Paramedics stabilized the man on the scene and called for the Discovery-ER24 Medicopter to evacuate him to a hospital in Johannesburg where he will be receiving further specialist treatment.

A student was also caught in the crossfire and sustained a gunshot wound to his arm. He is in a stable condition and was transported by ER24 to a nearby hospital in Sebokeng for further medical treatment.

It is understood from bystanders that five suspects stormed the cash guards and opened fire on them and the guards retaliated. No security guard was injured in this shootout. They are all being treated for shock on the scene.

It is not clear if the police made any arrests and they are still investigating.

Cape Town [Athlone] N2 on 31 July 2009 at 08h45

Twenty three people were taken to hospital after two taxis collided on the N2, just before the Jan Smuts Road turn-off in the direction of Cape Town this morning.

Paramedics worked in the pouring rain extricating and treating patients from the taxis. The patients' injuries varied from moderate to minor and were taken by ER24 and Metro EMS ambulances to various hospitals for further treatment.

While emergency services worked on scene, another collision occurred between two cars on the other side of the N2, luckily no-one was injured in the second collision.

The bus/taxi lane towards Cape Town was closed while emergency services worked on scene.

Grabouw - N2 on 30 July 2009 at 13h45

Around 73 people were allegedly involved in a collision involving a bus and a bakkie on the N2 near Grabouw this afternoon.

One person was dead on arrival of emergency services, two people sustained serious injuries, eleven people sustained moderate injuries with the remaining fifty nine people sustaining minor or no injuries.

The patients with serious and moderate injuries, and some of the minor injured, were taken by ER24 and Metro EMS ambulances to various surrounding hospitals. The majority of the remaining fifty nine people who were involved in the collision were taken by other buses from the scene.

Rescue crews from the Fire Department and Metro Rescue assisted with the treatment of the patients. Police were in attendance and are investigating the collision.

Durban ( Dalton ) CNR Of Canada and Williams road at 15h30 on the 30 July 09

A father and son have narrowly escaped with there lives this afternoon after the motor vehicle they were travelling in collided with a truck that was turning. ER24 arrived on the scene, they found the driver had been put in the back seat to wait for emergency personal to arrive. By looking at the mechanism of the collision, the driver was treated for possible neck and back injuries and shock. He was transported to a near by hospital in serious but stable condition. His son was examined and went with his father for a check up.

It is believed that the driver of the light motor vehicle was travelling along Williams road and was caught unaware of the truck that was turning into Canada road. The driver tried to avoid the truck but slammed in to the side of the truck. Lucky for the son who at this stage was seated behind his father when the collision occurred, may have suffered severe injuries from the impact.

SAPS, Metro Police and Fire Department were in attendance

Durban ( Sydham ) Stanley Copley Drive near Randles Road at 14h30 on the 29 July 09

A 11yr old boy is in a critical condition after been knocked down by a motor vehicle this afternoon. When ER24 Paramedics arrived on the scene, they found the young boy in the front seat of the bakkie that had hit him. Intermediate Life Support paramedic Morne' Venter assessed the boy's vitals and for any signs of spinal injuries. At this stage the boy was in traumatic shock. ER24 paramedic''s placed a collar on to support his neck, in case of any injuries to the neck and back. He was taken out of the vehicle and stabilised further before been taken to the ambulance.

The young boy started to show signs of a head injury and became very critical on the scene. Advanced Life Support intervention was done to help stabilise the young boy further been transported to a near by hospital in a critical but stable condition.

It is believed that the young boy ran across the road with his friend with out looking in both directions. This is a on going problem that paramedics are finding them selfs everyday with pedestrians not using crossings that have been marked to use or children have not been educated enough on the use of the crossings.

CRESTA [ Randburg ] Business Park in Cresta 29 July 2009 at 17:00

A 33 year old businessman was allegedly shot and killed this afternoon in his office by an employee at a business park in Cresta.

Shortly before 17:00 paramedics responded to the business park and found the man lying face down in a pool of blood behind his desk. He sustained a wound to his head and was already dead when paramedics arrived on the scene. There was nothing more that paramedics could do to save the man's life and he was declared dead.

It is understood that the manager was shot allegedly by one of the employees after he was told that he could no longer work for the company.

Employees chased the suspect as he fled the building and caught him in the parking lot. He was later handed over to the police.

The police will be investigating the incident.

MEYERTON [ Vereeniging ] Weilbach Road - Link Between Meyerton and De Deur on 28 July 2009 at 14:40

A man believed to be in his mid twenties have been killed in a head on collision between a taxi and a Toyota Corolla.

Paramedics from ER24 that arrived on the scene found the chaotic scene with at least 14 people injured. On assessment they found the man still trapped behind the steering wheel of his Corolla. It is believed that he died on impact. He sustained multiple injuries and was declared dead by paramedics on the scene.

14 occupants including the driver of the taxi sustained injuries when the taxi collided with the car. Paramedics treated all of the occupants for multiple bruises and injuries.

No one was seriously injured in the taxi, but all of the occupants were transported to various hospitals in the area for further medical treatment.

It is not clear who is responsible for the collision. The local authorities will investigate the accident.

Western Cape - on 28 July 2009 at 07h00

Paramedic students from a university in the Western Cape saved a fellow student after he went into cardiac arrest while exercising on the campus earlier this morning.

It is alleged that the nineteen year old engineering student was running on the track at the campus when he went into cardiac arrest. Two paramedic students who had witnessed the events ran over and assessed the patient.

The patient was not breathing and did not have the a pulse when the paramedic students got to him, they initiated CPR and phoned ER24.

The crews from ER24 arrived quickly and an advanced life support resuscitation was carried out with the assistance of the paramedic students.

After around fifteen minutes of advanced life support resuscitation, the paramedics got a pulse back on the patient and he started to breathe spontaneously.

He was then rushed to Louis Leipoldt Medi-Clinic where he was stabilised in the casualty and was admitted to the intensive care unit. Doctors are carrying out tests to determine the cause of the cardiac arrest.

The advanced life support paramedic on scene said that the early initiation of good CPR by the paramedic students was the biggest contributing factor in resuscitating the patient successfully.

ER24 Training Academy

If an environment is inherently dangerous, occasional accidents are inevitable no matter what precautions are taken. For this reason it is essential that workers know what to do if an accident occurs. If employees have received first aid training and know how to react in an emergency situation, what could have been a fatal accident can often be reduced to a relatively minor one.
Cognizant of the importance of CPR training, ER24 Emergency Medical Services has launched a training academy that is aimed at providing comprehensive training to companies and organizations.
ER24’s first aid training consists of a wide range of information that prepares workers to perform first aid in any emergency situation. All content adheres strictly to HWSETA unit standards and covers areas such as basic principles of first aid and safety, basic anatomy and physiology, emergency scene management, CPR, dressing and bandages, medical and trauma environmental emergencies and bites and stings.
Courses have been carefully prepared to ensure that information is easily understandable and that it equips employees with the necessary information to act efficiently in an emergency.
ER24’s training academy is also nationally and internationally accredited through the Emergency Care and Safety Institute of America (ECSI), the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the local Department of Labor and Health and Welfare SETA alignment.
Companies have an obligation to prepare workers for medical emergency situations. What many still do not realize, however, is that this is a legal obligation that leaves employers criminally negligent if they do not conform to regulations. Regulation states that “an employer shall take all reasonable steps that are necessary under the circumstances to ensure that persons at work receive prompt first aid treatment in case of injury or emergency”.
While many companies disregard these regulations, organizations within the heavy industries cannot afford to be so careless. The nature of these industries means that employees have a much higher likelihood of being in an accident and subsequently requiring emergency first aid. And because of this companies must provide workers with the necessary first aid training. It’s not only a legal requirement, but a moral responsibility as well.

Focusing on quality of education, expansion of our curriculums and courses to meet the ever changing and dynamic needs of the emergency medical services community, the ER24 Training Academy has launched courses that are internationally accredited and locally accepted allowing for CPD / CEU points allocation and upgrading our skills.
Our new academy affords you an uplifting, inspiring educational experience, one that we are proud to produce for you, it’s well worth a visit, feel free to pop in anytime you’re in the area.

As the ER24 Training Academy has your clinical skills at heart, Your ability to deliver high end patient care and top notch emergency assistance is paramount, it promotes the public image of ER24 and our profession as a whole and it is what we aim to achieve.
We are now proud to offer our intermediate and basic life support staff the ACLS for EMT-B course, a publication by Jones and Bartlett that is accredited through the AAOS (American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons) and ACEP (American College of Emergency Physicians) and offers you an unique insight into the world of Advanced Cardiac Life Support, what drugs they use and how to use them, ECG interpretation and airway management techniques as well as a whole host of incite full pointers and procedures.

Ledged Gorge Challenge, Waterberg

The ER24 EMS Events division took it to the limit once again this weekend with the Legend Gorge Challenge extreme cycle race, with hill ascends of over 40 degrees, roaming big 5 wildlife and 260 cyclists going all out through the Entabeni Game reserve, ER24 was there through it all. Covering a 15, 35 and 70 kilometer route around the reserve, cycled amongst rhino, lion and the odd herbivore these extreme cyclists took on the challenges of the Waterberg.

ER24 Events Division provided two fully equipped medical rescue 4x4 landrover 110 defenders, two quad bikes and a full Paramedic support unit with technical, steep slope and lifting rope rescue capability were provided.

Whilst the day very fortunately yielded nothing more than bruised egos and a few scrapes and bumps with the very capable aid of the Medi Clinic team and Dr. Vernon Else, essential onsite professional medical care was available and rendered as needed including several manned medical tables on the route and a full on site medical center in at the finish which included physiotherapists, nursing staff and medical doctors.

A big thank you to the Events team, Johan McDermott, Mandy Gray, Tim Gray, Mel Hye and Lloyd Krause for all the hard work and many hours of travel and planning that made the event such a success.

VEREENIGING [ Vaal Triangle ] Van Riebeeck Street opposite Show Grounds on 27 July 2009 at 07:40

At least two adults and one child was killed this morning in a head on collision between a school taxi and a car in front of the Vereeniging Show Grounds.

Paramedics from ER24 that arrived on the scene found a chaotic scene with children scattered across the road. On further assessment they found that one child, believed to be 12 years old, was killed in the taxi and at least five others were seriously injured.

All of the children sustained multiple injuries as they were thrown from the taxi during the accident. The driver of the taxi is also in a serious condition.

Two men, believed to be in their 30's, have died in the car and a lady also in her 30's was left in a critical condition. The men sustained multiple bodily trauma and was also declared dead on the scene. The lady sustained multiple bodily injuries.

The fire department had to use the jaws of life to rescue some of the occupants of the vehicles.

It is understood that the taxi collided head on with the car near the school.

Van Riebeeck Street has been closed for traffic in both directions as rescue personnel are still on the scene stabilizing those that are critically injured.

The incident will be investigated by the local authorities to determine the exact cause of the collision.

Western Cape [Keurbooms Heights] on 26 July 2009 at 17h05

Fourteen people have died and one person is in a serious condition after a collision allegedly involving two cars on the N2 between Plettenberg Bay and The Cracks at Keurbooms Heights earlier this evening.

Thirteen people were dead on arrival of emergency services, another person died in an ambulance on the way to hospital. The only survivor of the collision was taken by ER24 ambulance to Knysna Provincial Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

It is alleged that the two vehicles, an Audi and a VW Polo, collided head on. The majority of the patients were still trapped in their respective vehicles, the Audi was alight on arrival of emergency services.

The police were in attendance and are investigating the incident. ER24, Metro EMS, Metro Rescue, Fire Department, Baycare and Traffic services were all in attendance.

BENONI [ East Rand ] Glen North Road on 26 July 2009 at 18:00

Shortly after six this evening paramedics from ER24 responded to a shooting incident in Benoni where a Metro Police Officer was killed and another seriously wounded.

Upon arrival of ER24, the paramedics found one of the Metro Officers lying in the middle of the road with a serious gunshot wound to his abdomen. Paramedics had to act quickly to stabilize the man. Whilst paramedics were still busy with the critically injured officer, bystanders pointed paramedics in the direction of a nearby veldt where another Metro Officer was injured.

On further assessment, paramedics found that the officer was fatally wounded in the chest. He was declared dead on the scene.

The critically injured Metro Officer was rushed per ambulance to a nearby hospital for further medical treatment.

It is understood from bystanders that the officers gave chase to suspects when they were fired upon. It is not clear if the suspects fled the scene. An investigation is underway.

BLOUBOSRAND & BRIXTON [ Johannesburg ] on 26 July 2009 between 19:00 and 22:00

Paramedics attended to two scooter accidents this evening in Johannesburg.

The first incident occurred where a scooter and a Corsa Bakkie collided with each other in Bloubosrand, north of Johannesburg. A 23 year old male was injured and treated on the scene for multiple injuries.

It is understood that the man was on his way home after work when the collision occurred. He was transported in a stable condition to a nearby hospital for further medical management.
No one was injured in the Corsa bakkie.

Another scooter accident occurred in Brixton, Johannesburg where a 33 year old man apparently lost control over his scooter and landed against a pavement on High Street.

When paramedics arrived on the scene they found the man lying in the middle lane of the road with multiple injuries to his face and chest. The man was stabilized on the scene and transported per ambulance to a nearby hospital for further medical treatment.

Cape Town - Modderdam Road on 25 July 2009 at 08h00

Three people sustained injuries after a bus allegedly lost one of its wheels on Modderdam Road near Valhalla Drive earlier this morning.

It is alleged that the bus was driving in the direction of the airport when its front right wheel came loose and went into on coming traffic. The wheel then struck a VW Golf with two occupants inside.

The Driver and the passenger of the Golf sustained minor and moderate injuries respectively and were taken by ER24 ambulances to Louis Leipoldt Medi-Clinic. The bus driver sustained minor injuries and was taken by a Metro EMS ambulance to Life Vincent Pallotti Hospital.

The bus was empty at the time of the incident.

Durban ( Umlazi ) “V” Section near the robots at 06h15 on the 25 July 09

Eight police men from SAPS and three civilians have been injured after two taxis collided into one another this morning. When ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene, they found the police transporter vehicle in the road and a taxi on the pavement. When paramedics went to the vehicles they found majority of the patients lying on the floor and three still seated inside the vehicles. Six police men were treated for serious injuries, ranging from severe concussions to possible neck, back and leg fractures. Another two policeman were treated for minor to moderate injuries. All the policemen were transported by ER24 to Life Entabeni Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Three civilians were treated on the scene by ER24 and EMRS for minor to moderate injuries and transported to a near by Hospital in a stable condition. The cause of the accident is unclear at this present moment in time.

PRETORIA WEST [ Pretoria ] Court and Church Streets on 24 July 2009 at 20:30

A blaze at a panelbeater shop in Pretoria West kept at least 20 fire fighters busy this evening.

Shortly after 20:30 emergency services were alerted of a huge fire next to a petrol garage. Upon the arrival of emergency services, members of the public informed them that there are people living in the back of the building and no one has seen them after the fire started.

Paramedics from ER24 attended the scene to provide emergency medical care if needed.

Approximately 30 minutes later, one of the fire fighters informed paramedics that there are no one in the building.

Emergency services were concerned that the fire was right next to a filling station. Fortunately fire fighters managed to contain the fire in time.

It took fire fighters over two hours to completely extinguish the blaze. The cause for the blaze is not yet known and will be investigated.

Cape Town [Brackenfell] Old Paarl Road on 24 July 2009 at 13h00

A pedestrian is in a serious condition after being hit by a car on Old Paarl Road near Okavango Road in Brackenfell this afternoon.

It is alleged that the male pedestrian, estimated to be in his twenties, was crossing the road when he was hit by a Ford Ka. The car was travelling on Old Paarl Road in the direction of Bellville when the incident occurred.

The pedestrian sustained suspected fractures of his arms and legs, soft tissue injuries and a head injury. He was transported by ER24 ambulance to Tygerberg Hospital for further treatment.

Metro EMS, Fire Department and Traffic services were also in attendance.

Cape Town [Ndabeni] Business Park on 24 July 2009 at 10h30

Eleven people were treated for inhalation injuries by paramedics from ER24, Metro EMS and the Life ALS Response Unit at a business park in Ndabeni earlier today. The patients were in moderate to minor conditions and taken to Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic, Milnerton Medi-Clinic and Life Vincent Pallotti Hospital for further treatment.

The details around the incident are unclear but it is believed that a machine at one of the companies in the business park caught fire and that the patients inhaled fumes and smoke as a result of the fire.

The Fire Department and Metro Rescue were also in attendance and assisted with the patients on scene.

Cape Town - Baden Powell Drive on 24 July 2009 at 09h00

A head-on collision between two trucks near the Baden Powell bridge over the N2 has left four people injured this morning.

Two of the injured sustained moderate injuries and the other two injured sustained minor injuries. The patients were taken by ER24 and Metro EMS ambulances to Vergelegen Medi-Clinic for further treatment.

After the trucks collided, the vehicles left the road and went down an embankment, causing one of them to overturn. It is unclear what caused the trucks to hit head-on.

(Pictures by Ignus Dreyer)

More medics take to the skies

DASEN THATHIAH

PRIVATE ambulance service provider ER24 has entered into a partnership with Discovery Health in a bid to reach more people. ER24 chief executive Andrew Boden said there was a critical shortage of medicopters in the country, with only six available nationally.

"On a daily basis there are numerous requests for air evacuations and we can only assist in a small percentage of these cases because of limited resources," he said.

Three medicopters and three medicopter ground support vehicles will join the ER24 emergency fleet.Boden added that each medicopter would have a doctor and an advanced life support trained paramedic on board, who could deal with acute emergencies such as advanced airway and circulatory management and obstetric and paediatric emergencies.

ER24's significant membership base has inherited more than two million Discovery Health members as a result of the merger.Neville Koopowitz, Discovery Health's chief executive, said he was extremely proud of the partnership."We believe Discovery Health's investment will go a long way in helping to ease the immense pressure on over-burdened emergency services.

It will specifically boost ER24's nationwide footprint for South Africans in the main city centres of Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg," he said.

Published in the Daily News on July 23 2009-07-23

Cape Town - N2 on 23 July 2009 at 14h00

Seven people were injured when a Toyota Hi Ace taxi overturned on the N2 near Vanguard Drive in the direction of Somerset West this afternoon.

Of the seven injured, two people sustained moderate injuries and the remaining five people sustained minor injuries. The patients were taken by ER24 and Metro EMS ambulances to various surrounding hospitals for further treatment.

The cause of the accident was not known by paramedics on the scene. Police, Traffic and Fire Department were also in attendance. Traffic was affected on the off ramp of Vanguard Drive onto the N2.

KEMPTON PARK [ Johannesburg ] on 22 July 2009 at 11:45

A 77 year old lady lost both her legs this morning when a bus drove over her at a parking lot in Kempton Park.

Paramedics from ER24 arrived on the scene and found the lady still lying under the bus in excruciating pain. On further inspection paramedics found that both her legs from the knees were traumatically amputated when the bus drove over her.

It is not clear how she landed under the wheels of the bus.

Paramedics had to implement Advanced Life Support and sedated her on the scene. She lost huge amounts of blood on the scene and paramedics had to do everything possible to save her life and prevent her from bleeding out.

Due to the severity of her injuries, the Discovery-ER24 Medicopter was contacted to airlift the lady to the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg for further medical treatment.

Durban ( Isipingo ) Old main road near Lotus park at 18h15 on the 22 July 09

Two people are dead and three others are in a serious condition after a fatal collision this evening between a taxi and a light motor vehicle. When ER24 arrived on the scene, they found a female lying in the road who had suffered possible neck and head injuries was declared deceased by paramedics. The driver of the motor vehicle was entrapped and Advanced Life Support intervention had to be done on the patient. The patient started to deteriate on the paramedics and CPR was started but due to the severity of the injuries he died while still entrapped in the vehicle. Three other people were seriously injured in the collision. They were transported to a near by government hospital for further treatment.

It is unclear how the collision occurred as it’s a fairly straight road with sufficient light. SAPS will have to investigate the accident before any charges are made. By looking at the collision it looks like a side impact. Fire Department had to extricate the deceased from the vehicle.

Emergency Services Boost for All South Africans

Discovery Health today announced a new partnership with ER24 that bolsters the capacity of critical emergency services around the country.

Three medicopters - or helicopter ambulances – and three medicopter ground support vehicles for scene safety and public information will join ER24’s emergency medical fleet.

“We are proud to be part of this partnership. We believe Discovery Health’s investment will go a long way in helping to ease the immense pressure on over-burdened emergency services. It will specifically boost ER24’s nationwide footprint for South Africans in the main city centres of Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg.” says Neville Koopowitz, CEO of Discovery Health.

“South Africa has a critical shortage of medicopters, with only six medicopters deployed nationally; not nearly enough to address the need for airlifting and critical assistance,” says Andrew Boden, CEO of ER24. “On a daily basis there are numerous requests for air evacuations and we can only assist in a small percentage of these cases because of limited resources.”

A medicopter is commonly used when special expertise is required on scene, or where access is limited by road; or where saving time to definitive hospital care is beneficial for the patient’s treatment and outcome.

The standard equipment on a medicopter includes medication, ECG and vital sign monitoring units, ventilators, immobilisation equipment including a vacuum mattress necessary for transporting patients with spinal injuries.

Boden from ER24 adds that each medicopter will have a doctor and Advanced Life Support (ALS) trained paramedic on board who are able to deal with acute emergencies such as advanced airway and circulatory management, obstetric and paediatric emergencies.

Koopowitz says this partnership forms part of Discovery Health’s commitment to improve and build a better healthcare system for all South Africans.

“We are putting partnerships in place that make a real difference to the lives of all South Africans. Our health sector is under tremendous pressure because of skill shortages and the need for more healthcare professionals across all disciplines. We believe that this initiative will not only save precious lives but will help to address some of these pressing issues.”

ER24 will take over all the operational aspects of the Discovery 911 emergency services from 22 July. This will include responsibility for taking emergency calls and dispatching EMS teams, managing inter-hospital transfers, providing medical advice and offering cell phone-based location services in a medical emergency.

The addition of the Discovery Health membership base – of over two million lives – will substantially increase the current ER24 membership base.

-Ends-

The information in Discovery’s press releases is specifically meant for journalists and consumers should not use it to make financial decisions. Detailed information about Discovery’s products is available at http://www.discovery.co.za/

Durban ( Pinetown ) M13 Fields Hill East bound near Pioneer Road at 06h20 on the 17 July 09

Eight people were injured this morning and another seven were stranded after the taxi they were travelling in was involved in a collision. When ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene, they found the taxi in the centre medium with the front end into the bank of the freeway. The patients were found lying outside of the taxi and walking around. Emergency personal started to treat the patients for various injuries. One patient had suffered a broken arm, while another six were complaining of severe pain to the neck and back region. They were all stabilised on scene before been transported to various hospitals in the area that could help with further care. The remaining commuters were examined but refrained from going to hospital.

It is unclear how the accident occurred as there is only one vehicle involved this collision. What is believed to have happened is that the driver may have come around the corner to fast and lost control and slammed into the embankment in the centre medium.

Traffic was affected as only one lane of the two lane highway was open.

Metro police, Fire Department, EMRS and VEMA were in attendance.

Durban ( Pinetown ) CNR of Lello and Sunnyside Lane at 06h55 0n the 17 July 09

Just before 7am this morning, black smoke could be seen from all around Pinetown. When the location was found and investigated, it was found that house hold refuge was on fire. It is unclear how the fire started or who may have started the fire but employees from Parks and Recreation tried to keep it under control but lost the battle. Pinetown Fire Department was called in to help extinguish the blaze.

Metro police had to close the road off as an electricity cable had been burnt off and was lying in the road. Electricity department were called in to check the cable and replace it if necessary.