Chemical Technology July 2015

FOCUS 0N PLANT MAINTENANCE, SAFETY, HEALTH & QUALITY

SAESI 2015 conference: Get your gear ready!

tion of the tools available. • Medical emergency rescue (rapid): Teams are ex- pected to recognise the immediate lifesaving needs of the casualty. There will be intermediate and advanced cat- egories and teams will have to provide all their own rescue, personal safety and emergency medical equipment. Emergency medical services (EMS) challenge The challenge will be open to all approved Emergency Services providers, and agreed rescue-based organisations. Teams will con- sist of three members and all should have permission from their respective managers. The firefighter challenge • Do a stair climb of some four storeys up a makeshift obstacle, while carrying a hose; • Hoist a 21 kg donut pack up the tower, and then run down, not missing one step; • Hit a Keizer (hammer machine) with a 75 kg slide, with a hammer; • Make your way around a series of cones; • Grab and run with a fully charged 32 mm hose through a gate to spray down a target; and • And then finally drag an 80 kg dummy dubbed Rescue Randy over 30 m to the finish line. PIER training event The PIER training event and challenge will entail a theory session that will include fire and safety educator training with basic firefighting skills and first aid. The practical training will take place at one of the Ekurhuleni fire stations that will be announced. All attendees will be trained on how to educate communities on: • Safe cooking. • Lighting and dangers. • Keeping warmwithout adding to the fire risk. • Basic firefighting skills. For more information on the conference, the speakers and the events, go to www.saesi2015.com z

The Southern African Emergency Services Institute (SAESI) is hosting its 30 th conference from 4-6 November 2015. Not only will the conference include an exhibition and training events, but therewill also be a fun run andworld record attempt taking place. Resilient communities This year’s theme is ‘Building resilient com- munities’. The conference will look at a strategy for resilient communities, seeking to devolve responsibilities beyond provincial governments to local government, communities and individu- als. It will also look at improving management of incidents at all levels, by both emergency services and private companies. This year the conference will feature a new breakaway session conference structure to allow delegates to be more interactive (and proactive) in becoming part of the solution. The training events this year include: The high angle rescue challenge The focus of the event will be on skills develop- ment and enhancing the high angle rescuer’s ability to improvise in adverse conditions. The high angle rescue challenge will com- prise a learning symposium, and three scenar- ios. Each teamwill compete in all events. There will be no final. The final tally of marks achieved for the skins event and the three scenarios completed will result in a final placing of teams, with an overall winner. The challenge is to not only compete, but also to co-operate, share, and learn. If you’ve learnt or taught, you’ve won! The extrication challenge The three extrication challenges will be: • Complex rescue: Sufficient space will need to be created for medical assessment and intervention, with the casualties release/ packaging reflective to their mechanism of injury. Teams are expected to triage the casualties and identify the medical priority for extrication. • Limited rescue: Teams are expected to assess the casualty and identify the correct pathway for extrication, whilst recognising the limita-

21

Chemical Technology • July 2015