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Gauteng emergency services teams came together at the Dräger Fire Combat and Rescue Challenge in Midrand last Thursday, putting their skills and fitness to the test in a series of individual and group challenges, from simulated fire rescue trials to demanding physical tests.
Nick Berry (left), a Netcare 911 rescue officer who won his age category in the individual physical fitness challenge, with Wimpie van Onselen (right), emergency and rescue services business field manager for Dräger.
According to Nick Berry, a Netcare 911 rescue officer who participated in the exercise, efficient teamwork in emergency rescue situations is essential for achieving better outcomes and requires strong communication skills, problem-solving capabilities and high levels of physical fitness.
“In fire rescue situations,” he pointed out, “responders to a scene may be required to climb ladders, gain access to a building through windows, work their way through thick smoke with poor visibility and other challenging scenarios, all the while wearing heavy protective equipment, to reach individuals in need of assistance.”
Berry noted that emergency medical teams on the ground are likewise required to work as a team with firefighters and other emergency services to achieve the best and safest possible outcomes for patients and rescuers alike, in high-pressure and often unpredictable environments: “In addition to foundational knowledge and skills, adaptability and physical fitness are essential for all emergency services personnel.”
Wimpie van Onselen, emergency and rescue services business field manager for Dräger, adds that physical fitness in any emergency is key to ensuring that responders have the necessary endurance to work at a fast pace and maintain a clear mind when doing critical work. He thanked Rebel Elite Fitness for their participation in the event and for helping to raise awareness about the importance of this aspect in emergency work.
“It is encouraging and motivating to see the high level of capabilities demonstrated when emergency services teams come together to highlight key components of what it takes to be a professional in the field of emergency rescue,” Berry added.
“As members of this community, we at Netcare 911 wish to thank Dräger for providing us with the opportunity to participate and wish to congratulate our colleagues from across the province for their commendable conduct and achievements during the challenge,” he concluded.
SOURCE: MNA PR on behalf of Netcare