Emergency service personnel have commended the community who came together to do their best in the face of adversity—the KZN storms. These unsung heroes are the reason that many lives were protected:
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (05 June 2024) – When disaster strikes, focus tends to turn toward the debris. What has been lost, and what is left to piece together. In light of the severe weather that struck parts of KwaZulu-Natal this week, the focus has been on a lot of the above. But what of the unsung heroes who did everything in their power to help in the eye of the storm?
Despite the fierce weather being nothing short of devastating, glimmers of light peeking through the clouds of distress do exist. One of these glimmers extends to the incredible efforts of emergency service personnel and members of the community who risked their safety to protect others. Without them, the havoc could’ve been even worse; the loss even greater.
On Monday, the S.T.A.R.T rescue control room received countless emergency calls from the greater Durban area. Huge storms were moving in from the East, and by late that afternoon, all havoc had broken loose with high winds, rain and a hailstorm in tow.
Fallen trees blocked roadways, buildings were damaged, roofs and power lines faced damage while debris went flying, and suburbs as well as freeways became flooded.
S.T.A.R.T deployed first responders and a K9 unit to Tongaat where a tornado had also joined the mix.
“Upon arrival, the teams reported to be faced with the immense task of coordinating who and what needed urgent attention, working closely with emergency service partners from Netcare 911 ambulance services, the SA Police Services, Police Search and Rescue, NSRI Durban and the eThekwini Fire and Rescue Services—dispatching personnel to various parts of the affected areas,” said Konrad Jones of Necare 911.
A thorough search of the school and homes in the area was soon underway as responders sought to find missing or injured community members.
But, what was incredible was the ways that the emergency personnel and community members teamed up in the chaos as unsung heroes whose bravery deserves to be commended.
“The synergy between the first responders and the community was instrumental in the efforts such as clearing trees and debris, which enabled residents to safely access their homes and preventing potential further damage and risks to the public.
“We are extremely grateful to all who responded to this emergency, including the many members of the community who assisted emergency personnel in their tasks, and the days following will be occupied with damage assessment and extensive cleanup operations in the affected areas.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this storm.”—Konrad Jones.
Teams like Gift of the Givers are actively involved in providing emergency supplies to the community and you can support them here.
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