Green Point residents are the first in the Western Cape to have a resident paramedic on standby for emergencies.
|||Cape Town - Green Point residents are the first in the Western Cape to have a resident paramedic on standby for medical or trauma emergencies.
The initiative was started as a pilot project last year to have a paramedic working alongside the Green Point and Oranje-Kloof city improvement districts (CIDs).
In the first six months, the “in-house” paramedic responded to more than 250 cases, and from May 1 paramedic Damon van der Walt has been employed as a full-time medic on call during office hours.
While the two CIDs have served the community by providing security, cleansing and upgrades for the past 10 years, Van der Walt works in the City Bowl, Green Point and Oranje-Kloof areas.
The pilot formed part of an ER24 community medic programme.
Marc Truss, chief executive of the Green Point and Oranje-Kloof CIDs, said: “Our personnel are almost always first to arrive in the case of an emergency and based on this information, the lack of someone with medical training was clearly evident.”
After establishing that the paramedic had responded to more than 250 cases in six months, the CID decided the service was essential.
ER24’s Werner Vermaak said the intiative had taken off in the rest of the country but was the first of its kind in Cape Town. He believed the move would help to improve response times.
Although Van der Walt’s services are area-bound, he is able to respond to any trauma or medical emergency.
Vermaak added: “We’re always looking for initiatives that will help give back to the communities we serve.”
Van der Walt has the support of ER24, with access to a pool of trained medical emergency volunteers and a management team from Community Medics.
If more emergency vehicles are required, regardless of whether the patient is covered by medical aid, medical teams will help where possible.
Paramedics and members of the CIDs are also set to make house calls to talk about services offered and how to respond in emergencies.
natasha.prince@inl.co.za
Cape Argus