An ambulance bay, which is being developed in the Department of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), will provide valuable training opportunities for students.
Once the project is completed, CPUT will have an operational ambulance base, from which an ambulance and response vehicle would be able to respond to emergency incidents on campus, should there be a need.
Lloyd Christopher, head of the EMS Department, said the institution is registered and has licenced three emergency vehicles with the Department of Health to render emergency medical services.
These vehicles currently have to park at the Transport Department and would be relocated to the EMS Department once the ambulance bay is ready.
“It won’t just be an environment for us to do in-service training in but also for students to be directly involved in all aspects of operating an ambulance bay. They will be able to learn about stock control, record keeping, and about the storage, charging, servicing and maintenance of equipment,” said Christopher.
While the vehicles would be able to respond to incidents on campus involving the CPUT community and also emergencies in the greater Cape Town area, the intention is not to run a 24-hour ambulance operation.
As part of their training students are sent out to work with private or public ambulance services and, should students need further mentoring and support after this, they would be able to go out on one of the CPUT vehicles with a clinical instructor who could then provide the support they need.
“We also plan to use it for evaluations. All of this could then benefit students when they go out into the workplace.”
The main part of the project has been completed with a ramp and other features to be added before the bay can go into full operation.
Written by Ilse Fredericks
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