A short-staffed night out with Gauteng EMS
It was on a Thursday just after dusk as I joined the ambulance staff at the Bertha Gxowa EMS base in Germiston, Ekurhuleni, as they began their 12-hour shift at 7pm.
Louw was quick to get into the issues they face. He first explained the ambulance situation, saying that they had more ambulances than staff working shifts. He said: Mogorosi explained that the five vehicles working tonight have to cover Germiston, Alberton and Edenvale. I'm strapped in, expecting an action-packed drive to the scene like on TV. It was not like that at all. Louw drove to the address in a disappointingly calm manner. Yes, he was going at a speed that I would fear driving in wet weather, especially in a ranger with stubby tyres, but there was no drama. We got to the address that was sent through, but there was nothing there. We drove around the area, but still nothing. We soon discovered that the address sent by dispatch was incorrect.
The air of calm is something I experience throughout the night as the emergency staff deal with everything from drunk people refusing to go to the hospital after being hit by a car to people who refuse to stay under anaesthesia during a hospital transfer, all while facing the growing threat of attacks as they work in darkness with load shedding in effect.We just need more staff. They need to pay us enough for the work that we do and create better conditions.
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