Cape Town - Speeding through the streets at 3am at speeds in excess of 180km/h is most certainly a crime.
Unless you’re in an emergency response vehicle with the head of the fire department and paramedics, and you have Mayoral Committee member for safety and security JP Smith sitting behind you.
I joined Philip Prak, 46, a paramedic and senior firefighter based at the Goodwood Fire Station, and Smith, 44, for a Friday night ride-along last week in an emergency response vehicle – a Chevy Cruze 1.8L with a low centre of gravity – to attend to medical emergencies and perform what is a routine city check on a Friday night for Smith.
He said he took part in these drive-alongs to keep tabs on how many incidents are alcohol-related, and to examine the facilities of the stations and hospitals.
22 MINUTES FROM BRACKENFELL TO HOUT BAY
Smith had a work function from 7 - 10pm, so the evening kicked off at 10pm with a cardiac arrest in Brackenfell. It took seven minutes to get there.
We helped other paramedics assess the situation, then loaded the elderly patient into a Metro ambulance and sent him on his way. Next we high-tailed it to Hout Bay in 22 minutes to assist a child with a high fever. Talk about an adrenalin rush.
By 2am, the streets were fairly quiet and there wasn’t quite as much need to use the lights and sirens, but then there was a call from Khayelitsha Metro Police that a man had been stabbed in his back six times for his cellphone.
While the paramedics saw to the victim, Smith inspected the police station and took note of equipment and upgrade requirements.
We cruised the streets of some very dangerous suburbs, then headed back to the fire station.
We’ll be repeating the excursion on Friday night and, being month-end, it is expected to be a long and busy one.
Cape Times