A local Johannesburg emergency response specialist became the first responder at an accident scene after he drove past, as it happened.
Michael Dawes, a local Fourways resident and member of ‘ORRU’, took control of an accident scene after driving past as the construction worker fell. He was there in his personal capacity and not as a team call out.
The Off Road Rescue Unit (ORRU) is a highly-trained crew of volunteer 4×4 owners in South Africa with regional teams based in 5 of the 9 provinces.
The Unit works closely with local, regional and national Emergency Management Services, Disaster Management, the South African Air Force, Civil Aviation (Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre), South African Police Service, K9 Search and Rescue Association, the Mountain Club of South Africa Search and Rescue, National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre(MRCC) and other official and civilian volunteer organisations.
The Unit provides wilderness and urban search and rescue services, transport, logistical support and radio communications, in rough terrain and urban areas in times of need including civil, national or international emergencies.
Dawes assisted in stabilizing the patient while waiting for Netcare 911 to arrive.
Paramedics arrived at the scene and found the worker to have sustained critical injuries. After the patient was secured at the scene, they airlifted him with the Netcare 2 medical helicopter to a specialised hospital for the care that he required.
According to Netcare 911’s Chris Botha, the construction worker fell 6 to 7 metres off the scaffolding at the Fourways Mall construction site.
He said, “On the corner of Fourways Boulevard and William Nicol Netcare airlifted the construction worker to hospital. The employee suffered severe fractures and further serious injuries.”
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