NEWS FROM CMR

Ambulance Add-On services are now available to CMR Business Members.

From the 1st January 2010 onwards, CMR Business Members have the option of including the CMR Ambulance Add-On Service to their membership at a low rate per staff member per month.  Businesses are quoted a fee after a brief evaluation of their staff numbers and businesses circumstances.

The Business Ambulance Add-On Service option was introduced following CMRAS’ acquisition of a second advanced life-support ambulance and additional staff, and provides Far South companies with a very affordable alternative to paying for emergency ambulance transport if and when needed.

The Business Ambulance Add-on membership is structured in the same way as the service provided to CMR Household members who take the Ambulance Add-On option, and covers those members listed on the membership for any ambulance transport required from or within the CMR designated area to the appropriate hospital or care facility, and resulting from any emergency medical situation. Visitors to a members premises are not covered by the Ambulance Add-on service.

Membership includes ambulance transportation as well as any medical consumables used. Rates increase on the 1^st of January of each year.

 For more information please contact CMR Sales on 021 782-0606.

Additional Ambulance in service for CMR Ambulance Services

Our new Advanced Life-Support ambulance went into service in January 2010. The vehicle is a fully-equipped, long wheel-base Toyota Quantum, and it features air-conditioning, more head-room and generally more interior space for paramedics treating the patient being transported.

Together with CMRAS’ other ambulance, the new Quantum will be on stand-by 24-hours a day for any patient transportation from and within the Far South area. It will also be available for the transportation of critically-ill patients between the Intensive Care Units (ICU) of Cape Town hospitals, and for long-distance transportation of patients to far flung hospitals or care facilities if required.

It is an unfortunate fact that emergency medical resources throughout South Africa are stretched and, in many places in the country, inadequate. The new ambulance greatly increases the availability of emergency medical transport and care options in the Far South area, and further adds to CMR’s mission to provide its members – and the general Far South community – with the best possible emergency medical care and facilities.

COMMUNITY NEWS

FAR SOUTH SCHOOL’S PROGRAMME

Central Mica Hardware sponsor schools programme for sixth consecutive year

Central Mica Hardware in Valyland has yet again sponsored a program that provides emergency medical response cover via CMR for all public schools and schoolchildren in the Far South.

This substantial sponsorship of over R40 000 per year means that over 10 000 children will receive free emergency medical treatment in the event that they suffer any kind of injury or sudden illness whilst at school or while participating in school sport or other activities. Teachers and other school staff are similarly covered.

The Mica programme provides school management body’s with an enormous amount of peace-of-mind to know that the children and staff will receive excellent medical assistance in the event of any unfortunate accident or injury. Parents and family obviously take great comfort from this essential cover as well.

Ron van Til, owner of Mica Hardware Valyland, said that his company is delighted to be able to provide this sponsorship. “A few years ago, we looked for a community-based project that we could contribute towards, and then we hit upon sponsoring Cape Medical Response membership for our local schools.”

“Children are so precious, and so vital for our future, and it gives us a great deal of satisfaction to be able to sponsor this membership. CMR are an excellent organization with very dedicated paramedics, and it’s comforting to know that the children will receive the best medical assistance whenever and if ever needed.”

CMR treat an average of 60 patients at Far South schools under the Mica project every year, and CMR paramedics also visit over 30 classes each year in an educational program which involved talking to Grade 1 and R children about vehicle and road safety, and showing them the equipment that is carried in a paramedic vehicle. This secondary program is important in making young children less apprehensive around medical personnel, and more relaxed in the event of anyone being treated for a medical emergency.

CMR is extremely grateful to Ron van Til and Central Mica Hardware for their ongoing and generous support of this important community project.

“ICE”

The practice of putting emergency telephone numbers in one’s cellphone under the name “ICE” has become common around the world. “ICE” stands for “In Case of Emergency”. The idea is that, in the case of an emergency, and especially when the cellphone owner is unconscious or unable to communicate, that the telephone number of a close relative or friend is listed under ICE for the paramedic or whomever is trying to assist the person to contact.

CMR recommends that all our members do this. We recommend listing ICE together with the person’s name, such as “ICE – Joe Citizen”, and the telephone number. If need be, more than one ICE number can be listed, such as “ICE 1 – Joe Citizen”, “ICE 2 – An Other”, etc.

Putting one or more telephone numbers on one’s cellphone under ICE is a prudent step for everyone, but especially important in the case of children and elderly people, and for anyone with any medical condition.

So ICE your cellphone today!