26th February 2016
St. John’s, Antigua…Antigua and Barbuda’s Emergency Medical Services have come in for high praises after pulling off a dramatic operation in extreme conditions over the weekend, rescuing a Ninety Five Year old man in an area which is hundreds of feet above sea level.
Following a call to the Emergency Services at 12:15 last Friday, Technicians from the department immediately responded to the medical emergency in an area close to the Rendezvous Development, on one of the highest peaks over-looking Falmouth Harbor.
When the EMS Responders got there, the elevation and the terrain were impossible for the Ambulance and even a 4x4 Pickup truck to reach so the five Emergency Technicians with folding stretcher in tow, had to walk their war to the patient
That journey took the team about ten minutes of rapid walking through some pathways which were so narrow that the five responders had to walk in a straight line rather than side by side.
According to Head of EMS Training and Transportation Morvin Fiedtkou, the rescue of the man was even more difficult on the way down because of the loose soil and gravel and sometimes jagged edges in the area.
However, Fiedtkou said it was a great experience for the team and added that it was one of the highest if not the highest rescue mission performed by the EMS Department in years.
Fiedtkou said that overall, the five-member team responded well and performed tremendously under the challenging situation which required a lot of physical and mental endurance.
Apart from Fiedtkou, the other members of the Response Unit on that assignment included Tundae Bruce, Elloy Tongue, Kiefer Southwell and Iesha Russell.
Although the name of the senior citizen could not be disclosed, the ninety five year old Antiguan is said to be back home and in good spirits.
For Further Information Contact: Ms. Debbie Francis Communications Officer Ministry of Health & the Environment Redcliffe Street, St. John’s, Antigua
