BRACKENFELL 26 November 2011, 10:00
This past Saturday, Mediclinic Cape Gate and ER24 presented an open day with the theme “seconds count” at the Mediclinic Cape Gate hospital grounds in Brackenfell. With summer upon us and the holiday season drawing closer, more motorists can be expected on the highways driving to their holiday destination. With this in mind the event was organized to showcase the services made available by ER24, the ER24 Discovery Medicopter and the Mediclinic Cape Gate trauma unit.
Members of the public were invited onto the hospital grounds where a simulation was set out to show how the different teams work together in stabilising patients involved in a motor vehicle collision. Shortly after 10:00 adults and children gathered around the staging area where a wrecked vehicle was placed. Two actors had volunteered to be the patients involved in the staged side impact collision.
Support services like the local South African Police Service and the rescue team from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, all volunteered their time to take part in the simulation. The crowed viewed the simulation as the CPUT rescue team used specialised hydraulic rescue equipment to cut the vehicle while ER24 paramedics attended to the patients.
The ER24 Discovery Medicopter then landed at the scene to airlift the “patient” to the trauma unit. The spectators then made their way closer to the Mediclinic Cape Gate trauma unit to see the Medicopter land and the off loading procedures as executed by the Medicopter crew and the emergency unit team.
Once the simulation was complete members of the public had the opportunity to view the Medicopter up close. Children were given balloons and even had the opportunity to have their picture taken in the cockpit of the Medicopter. Free glucose testing and blood pressure screening was provided by Mediclinic Cape Gate.
As the day ended and the Medicopter lifted off to return to its base at Cape Town international airport, all who attended the simulation returned home with the knowledge that should a medical emergency arise, ER24 would be ready with Real Help, Real Fast.
Andre Visser, ER24
