Team Focus, a group of fire fighters and medical crew involved in a bus accident rescue in Meyerton, won the Centrum® Guardian Project 2013.
The team of real-life heroes received a total of R61,009 in prize money at a prestigious award ceremony at Emperor’s Palace in Johannesburg on Thursday 12 September.
Team Focus was profiled on SABC3 in Centrum® Guardians 2013, a seven-week documentary drama series hosted by well-known television personality Ruda Landman. The show comprises dramatic recreations of the stories that the finalists have been nominated for.
On Monday 25 June 2012 at 08h07 Team Focus responded to an accident that involved 72 passengers in a bus that had gone over the edge of an embankment, landing in a stream.
The team, which includes fire fighters from Meyerton Fire Station and medical personnel from ER24, Gauteng Emergency Medical Services, Netcare 911 and Vaal Emergency Ambulance Services worked under extreme conditions to save passengers and alleviate suffering.
Rescuers used every bit of stamina, training and apparatus at their disposal to save lives and deal quickly with injuries during a six-hour rescue operation.
Of the 72 people on the bus, 53 were treated and transported to nearby hospitals by various ambulance services. A total of 23 people were trapped by the seats of the bus and needed to be cut loose using the Jaws of Life. Nineteen people lost their lives in the accident.
Team Focus won R10 000 in prize money from Centrum® that will be divided among the individual team members. In addition, the team’s base stations have won R35 000 from Centrum®, R15 000 from One Lady and a Tribe and R10 000 from Enkosi Agency plus proceeds from SMS votes.
The Centrum® Guardian Project is a corporate social investment project implemented by Centrum®.
“We are astounded by the calibre of nominations we receive each year. Every single story has an element of bravery, passion and determination to name just a few of the attributes that the remarkable men and women in the EMS possess.
“We are proud to showcase the Emergency Services industry and share the work they do with the South African public through the Centrum Guardian series,’ says Natasha Macdonald, Centrum® brand manager.
Team Focus’ full story can be viewed online at www.centrumguardian.com.
Visit www.centrumguardian.com for more information and to submit nominations for the 2014 project.
