The Western Cape trauma units have joined forces to do a Trauma Injury Prevention programme each month with a focus on safety, skills and confidence in an emergency.
This programme started two months ago and has been going strong each month.
“We have now collaborated with Netcare 911 ambulance services who have joined our teams,” says Salama Steenkamp, Unit Manager at Netcare N1 City Hospital.
Last month they had a big group which included metro police, the fire department, ambulance and nursing staff, where the trauma unit team did safety and stranger awareness with the children at Village Educare Centre.
The aim is to empower and equip teachers with the necessary knowledge and skills to safely manage a child or colleague from choking; also to ensure that they can initiate and continue CPR while awaiting an emergency response.
“We hope to reach as many communities, schools and churches as we can,” Steenkamp adds.
On Saturday 1 October the crew visited the school, Hands of Hope, a special needs school, to empower and educate the educators.
Here they did CPR and choking education with the teachers at Hands of Hope Learning Centre.
The programme was started to equip the community, especially kids so that they are aware of and prepared for any emergency, and what to do if they are faced with an emergency and also to ensure that they are aware of any hazards which may prevent them from rendering emergency care whilst awaiting emergency responders.
Trauma units involved are Netcare N1 City Hospital, Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital, Netcare Kuils River Hospital, Blaauwberg Hospital and the Western Cape Netcare 911 crew.