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10 November 2023
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Wilderness Search and Rescue: The spirit of volunteerism burns bright, Cape Town
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Dedicated teams of professionals and volunteers from Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) responded to two incidents on Saturday, 4 November 2023. Rescue 1: WSAR teams were dispatched to Tafelberg Road below Table Mountain after a hiking group reported that one of their members had fallen on Saturday morning. The 53-year-old hiker and six others were hiking The Traverse of the Gods route from Kloof Corner. They were traversing a section of the trail after a coffee break, when she stepped in a hole hidden by grass. She lost her balance and fell approximately three meters.
Injured and unable to continue, her group immediately called the emergency number.
Teams of rescuers quickly made their way up to the injured hiker. She was assessed and treated before being placed into a rescue stretcher. According to David Nel, a spokesperson for Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR), “The terrain on the route is steep and technically challenging. Teams constructed a highline using ropes and pullies, to safely move the stretchered patient from where she’d fallen to a point where they could continue carrying her.”
She was carried to a point above Kloof Corner and taking advantage of the improving weather conditions, teams requested the assistance of the Western Cape Department of Health &and Wellness EMS/Air Mercy Service (AMS)rescue helicopter.
Once on scene, the injured hiker was hoisted up into the helicopter and flown to a nearby landing zone. She was carried to a waiting ambulance and driven to hospital. The incident was concluded at 16h05, after the team of seventeen rescuers and six hikers had safely walked back down the mountain.
Rescue 2: A small team of rescues on board the Western Cape Department of Health &and Wellness EMS/Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter were flown to Greyton after a hiking group reported that one of their members had collapsed.
The group of thirty hikers had started their hike at 08h00 on Saturday morning and were making their way from Greyton to the Boesmankloof Hut on the McGregor side of the two day trail. According to the group the 57-year-old female hiker suddenly collapsed on Saturday afternoon soon after passing Oakes Falls.
Once on scene, two rescuers were hoisted down to a point close to the patient. She was treated for heat related injuries and helped into a rescue harness and hoisted up into the helicopter. She was flown to a nearby landing zone and driven to hospital. The incident was concluded shortly after 19h00.
“Large and technical rescues require many hands and we’re grateful to have such depth and skill within the teams. The majority of our rescuers are volunteers who have already volunteered thousands of hours to wilderness rescue this year. Our teams have already responded to record numbers of rescues and we’re anticipating a busy festive season. We thank all of our team members for their passion and continued dedication to wilderness rescue in the Western Cape. We wish both our patients a speedy recovery,” Nel said.
Photos by Brent Russel, Gert van der Walt and Matthew Trollip
Source: Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR)
Injured and unable to continue, her group immediately called the emergency number.
Teams of rescuers quickly made their way up to the injured hiker. She was assessed and treated before being placed into a rescue stretcher. According to David Nel, a spokesperson for Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR), “The terrain on the route is steep and technically challenging. Teams constructed a highline using ropes and pullies, to safely move the stretchered patient from where she’d fallen to a point where they could continue carrying her.”
She was carried to a point above Kloof Corner and taking advantage of the improving weather conditions, teams requested the assistance of the Western Cape Department of Health &and Wellness EMS/Air Mercy Service (AMS)rescue helicopter.
Once on scene, the injured hiker was hoisted up into the helicopter and flown to a nearby landing zone. She was carried to a waiting ambulance and driven to hospital. The incident was concluded at 16h05, after the team of seventeen rescuers and six hikers had safely walked back down the mountain.
Rescue 2: A small team of rescues on board the Western Cape Department of Health &and Wellness EMS/Air Mercy Service (AMS) rescue helicopter were flown to Greyton after a hiking group reported that one of their members had collapsed.
The group of thirty hikers had started their hike at 08h00 on Saturday morning and were making their way from Greyton to the Boesmankloof Hut on the McGregor side of the two day trail. According to the group the 57-year-old female hiker suddenly collapsed on Saturday afternoon soon after passing Oakes Falls.
Once on scene, two rescuers were hoisted down to a point close to the patient. She was treated for heat related injuries and helped into a rescue harness and hoisted up into the helicopter. She was flown to a nearby landing zone and driven to hospital. The incident was concluded shortly after 19h00.
“Large and technical rescues require many hands and we’re grateful to have such depth and skill within the teams. The majority of our rescuers are volunteers who have already volunteered thousands of hours to wilderness rescue this year. Our teams have already responded to record numbers of rescues and we’re anticipating a busy festive season. We thank all of our team members for their passion and continued dedication to wilderness rescue in the Western Cape. We wish both our patients a speedy recovery,” Nel said.
Photos by Brent Russel, Gert van der Walt and Matthew Trollip
Source: Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR)
