 All right, many thanks for hanging out with us right here on why in the morning welcome back. My name is Brian Sakua And we're going to delve right away straight up into matters health and today we're going to talk about matters Fast aid and emergency services and joining me live with us in studio is Michael. I'm Rosie Luchombo Who's an emergency medical technician and a great to have you sir? All right, good morning Now at your company, of course, you are You are a let's say you're an emergency service provider There's a lot that usually happens behind the scenes before you even get to that scene For example, if you're just preparing to go to a location You've received a call or a message that you know, somebody's in danger. They need medical help What are some of the things that you guys do to actually get yourself there because most of the time We just see ambulances on the road with a very loud siren and you're like good lord This there must be something crazy happening right there. All right When I call addresses call comes in into a dispatch center first of all the dispatch was also a medic takes in information from the caller number one location gender age and Which kind of emergency are you responding? For example, you're suffering from a Heady jury is also from asthmatic attack. You're suffering from allergic reaction cardiac emergencies are there so When we move first of all, we must know is this a case of basic life support It's a case of advanced cardiac left support Number two we choose the right crew this crew are they basic support providers They advance correct support providers number three the ambulance that we send Categorical basic life support and advanced left support with the location our Advanced ambulance operators are trained experienced And now they are conversant with Nairobi and it's environment All right, so with the location pinned if it's Kilimani if it's Kilele sure if it's gong road If it's Mutaigar Name all those persons in Nairobi. All right. They know that are if you follow this route Follow this this one will lead us to the destination will be in 15 minutes Turn around time Right. Yes, and a lot not I've remembered why exactly is it important for even to have and know how on fast aid Because I believe first aid is not necessarily that you go to a doctor even a person back at home Can be trained to you know how to perform a first aid? What are some of the basics that you know should be even be followed there? So let's start from why is it important to know about first aid? It is important about first aid because this day first medical action one can take Before an ambulance gets into the scene and our medical dispatcher Who is or who received that call will give you guidelines on What to do and not what to do for example A case comes in you have collapsed Our medical dispatcher who received that call Will give you more guidelines on how you can assist the patient Or the one the victim before the ambulance comes if it is bleeding you tell you If you're having a first aid kit You have a glove gloves must put on gloves. You must have crepe bandages You must know how to apply them He or she will explain to you simultaneously Do not do and he will he or she will reassure you Before the ambulance comes. All right It's very critical for one to know first aid before even calling an ambulance because it can assist All right, I get some point if there's no first aid Yes, we reach to the scene But uh This patient has maybe reached a level by there's no much this team can do All right, but with first aid at least it can assist All right, the victim Fantastic. Now, let's get to that first aid kit. Of course, it's usually a red box and uh Even according to some of the health regulations it is required even for public facilities to have at least a first aid kit And a lot of people just say it is a box, but it's a very serious box and it's needed If you are to actually break it down for us and tell us what are some of the items that should be in there That can really be of help whenever there's an emergency situation. We're having there are some trauma shears We are having gloves crepe bandages sagyco spirit We are having um some paracetamol some painkillers in that box and sterile grosses Anti acids Yes, I believe that some of the major items that can be in that uh First aid kit. All right. Yeah, but it is much basically for one who is a layman Just to know What is before we now get into an advanced level of us as paramedics. All right Now, let me get back to your organization that you work with in terms of even Bringing solutions to the table or bridging in the gap in terms of human matters health emergency and even evacuation What are some of the achievements that you guys have managed to bring on the table? And I love the fact that you mentioned you're working also with the national government including Nairobi as well. Yes. Yes Number one we've managed to have a team Which is a training first aid and an ambulance operator ambulance operators number two, you may need to have a foundation Alpha ambulance service group Foundation whereby this one we are aiming to At least assist the variable in the community all right, for example We're aiming with the pregnant mothers back in the Slums or areas which are The invested All right number two those victims who are who are involved in road traffic accidents Many of them don't have insurance covers. It's an accident. Yes. Right. I'm sure because I don't have cash One cannot be able You know healthcare is very expensive. Yeah, so the truth So we're aiming or now we can assist these pregnant mothers to be evacuated from home All of the seniors to the nearest facility And number two these victims who are involved in road traffic accidents To be evacuated or to be supplied on scene And to be taken to the nearest facility. That's right. Yeah. Number three we'll manage at least to Achieve and serve the community Nairobi needs in bonus by getting Clients working various Clients to be clients insurance companies hospitals and individuals right number three one before at least I'm going to Salvage some employment opportunities, right for young Paramedics abilities operators and emergency medical technicians, right? Yes, at least after working There's something that getting All right. How many how many number that you guys have money to employ? We're having 19 staffs as far now. No, okay 19 and number four Our team has managed at least to get experience and mentor. All right as For myself as a journey One cannot just be employed into an ambulance. Just proceed from school proceed giving this this vehicle One need to be trained one need to be trained One need to be given skills and experiences. All right. Yes. So, uh, we allow internships We allow attachments into our system into our school At least one comes in from school from the other paramedic That he's our internship sees what things are being done. See the response being done And uh, you see it can now be getting played into all family service or another company All right before before we get to How the COVID-19 pandemic actually shaped that space as well Um, I'd really like to know if somebody wanted to maybe come and work with you What are some of the things that you consider? Them to actually, you know, be allowed to you know, come into your organization as much as I I have no idea if it requires you to have like maybe a degree or an experience or a background in medicine Or or or medical care or healthcare as well for emergency medical technicians It cuts across one must have a valid emergency medical technicians Practitioner license One must have at least an experience of 200 fields as an emergency medical technician As a paramedic one year of experience, right the field now as an ambulance operator These are people who are in the steering. You must know how to manoeuvre. You must know how to corner All right, you must know how to get into wrong side if things get well But you must know how you are the patient is doing back For you to get a chance to have an experience of four years Four years as an as a driver or as a driver now as a driver alone And you must Done Some several courses they want to invest so much into it because driving an ambulance That's not just driving any car All right, this is a vehicle to saving life All right, this is a vehicle which moves In terms they say magic box Right because it turns it can stay for eight hours not doing a call, but where it gets into the road All right series of there are headlights Everything is on now You must have done number one emergency vehicle operation course number two ambulance operator course number three defensive Driving and refresher course What does that mean defense driver? Yeah, it means that you you are trained You know what you're doing in the road. You are observing safety Safety is a priority no matter how much how Speedy you are All right, you are saving a life too. So you must watch over You as a person right must watch over your colleague who is the medic You must watch over the patient Safety and number four It is the safety of the public All right, because if you go on knocking everyone on the road You are worsening the special All right. Yes So and number four you must done basic left support And advanced cadet support because you know just a driver. All right. You are also A medic in that you're like a doctor on the roof on the crew. Yeah Yes, and basically you do have two nurses or two paramedics on board and one ambulance operator All right. Yes Interesting because you know a lot of people just see an ambulance moving on the road and they assume Are these are just guys they're going to serve or maybe somebody is dying But maybe sometimes you don't even know what exactly is happening behind the scenes And before we get to the question about covid What are some of the situations that you have managed to respond to? That are actually life-changing that have been life-changing to not only us and individual as well as a paramedic But even as a health advocate as well and even to your organization Some of the situations you've managed to go and rescue people Save lives and you know you've managed to actually Calm it down and things went well. Yes many cases Many cases that I'll give you an example of two I will respond to an road traffic accident at Thika Road I will manage to evacuate a patient underneath Underneath the vehicle So we had to use Mechanical skills that we turned into mechanics to use the jack The vehicle was lifted. We put it on a spine board. You have many tools in the ambulance many equipments of evacuation All right It's not in the patient We managed even to use an advanced airway Equipments all right the patient survived to to the patient survived They did not die. That's right. Yeah Number two, that was horrible. Yeah, we managed to rescue One of the street street children Street kid was involved in a road traffic accident whereby a lorry stepped On on his abdomen by it is an accident and there I I'm saying I saved a life that day because I maneuvered Through a heavy traffic to Agakan All right, let's run the museum most of these patients who are unknown or are patients who doesn't have an insurance cover at least Would you check them to the nearest facility? Which is a public facility which is either Kenyatta, Bagadi or Amaluzzi But if this doesn't have because normal taking information how old are you? Do you have insurance cover? Are you covered which facility would like to be taken to so the nearest facility as per that I heard to make that decision Is to dash into Agakan main. Yeah, we also saved a life Right, it's batteries about a building which which collapsed at Tarsia the recipe to manage to give us a Kid a pediatric who was two years old Covered in the D-brills I need to intervene medically I could speak because of Yeah, because of confidential Under with that the cleaning to medical facility there We saved a life Yes, in any cases, but by grace it is by grace. Yeah Now I'll also get back to the mental aspect of it all as you work in that space now when the pandemic came COVID-19 pandemic is actually uh I'll say it was a global life changing pandemic or disaster that actually put a lot of uh, see uh, first responders you can call them First responders right or health workers on the spot. How did it shape you as an individual and as a company in terms of your profession? Working as a medical responder as a paramedic Yeah, actually with the COVID-19 pandemic At the first time it was really challenging Uh, we were scared since We were the front line up At the the the paramedics and the emergency medical technicians The other ones risking people from home into Facilities transferring them from facilities to Facilities all right as a room from home best care into Other spaces even a vacation from airports into other places Right, so it really broke uh brought in many changes in the system that uh, we should be prepared All right. This was a time whereby This was a We need a system to change. All right. That uh as emergency Pensioneers, are we prepared? All right, and also education right that uh Are we educated now to handle such big cases in case? Another pending another pandemic comes in right of which the government came in strongly We were educated we were given kids for for the same and uh You don't remember I believe the EMS system emergency medical system Was really appreciated it really shaped us all right of where there was empathy the sympathy about About everything because you're carrying a patient And you as a yourself you must also be protected the issue of contamination the issue of lockdown imagine you're being in the city alone It's very good. So you know about a shape whereby EMS system will be appreciated so much all right many were also In the situation whereby it led to many of the medics Also to be strong in the system. All right. Yes. Yes. Yes interesting, you know We once talked about therapy in another segment of our shows and uh, we were actually arguing do therapist sick Other therapies do they go to other therapies to offload? You know some of the things that they've been told and uh, the argument was yes sometimes and sometimes no Now, uh, I also like to know like from your experience. You're working with a lot of traumatizing situations Sometimes, uh, most of the situations are so intense and sometimes a little bit disgusting even to just the normal eye Even for a person who doesn't have that kind of a training. It's even traumatizing to themselves If they're just such a scenario, how do you offload and manage to stay so grounded Mentally into that profession as a paramedic as a paramedic Number one is through counseling Many of our paramedics and the emergency medical technicians have managed to share and Outcome the experiences through sharing through counseling. Sorry. Well, by the fellow counselor comes in and Interacts you share all your experiences griefing the process number two is uh, uh through As a as a team we are having those sessions whereby you come from an event or a or a this is called Where you as a team of which where you mentioned counselor goes for counselor, right a paramedic Talks of paramedic paramedic. Yeah, and they are when you vent out Actually, it goes out. It gets out. All right To avoid something as a post traumatic stress disorder. I also saw it in your Yeah, because they want to show it once so it you analyzing it. It is real. It is happening many Medi-cooperation years are passing through it All right. Yes. Yes. Yes. And uh, once you share once you vent out a big given time to go out Uh off off days leave days and having those from counselors. I believe it's a thing which One uh Overcomes But personally personal it also comes in it also came in As a passion. All right from family background. My mother is a nurse Yes, so from that I had passion of getting into the medical field But now with my grades I could not get into being a nurse or a doctor a doctor. Huh? I said passion for paramedic. Yeah, so I had passion for speed All right now that is driving. That's driving now hate to combine the two of them to get into one Right. So as a career as a training as an ambulance operator, right That's what I'm saying. It is it is also with Uh career-wise and uh passion, right. Yes head passion Right. Number one. Number two. I had to come in and and Bond with my career Right. Yes. Yes. So I said training as an ambulance operator. All right. As an ambulance operator I drove ambulances. I done several courses that I've mentioned ever what and what right now Being a medic and I went to do an emergency medical technician course. All right So I combine them with passion with skills With education. I believe I managed to overcome all right and the best care I've read to my patient I Under grace grace the lord is With me. All right. I haven't managed to have any PTSD. All right. Thank god for that. Amen. Yes, I'm glad you're here as well Now at your company still do you have like Let's say classes of responders like in this category We have people that respond to fires or in this category We have people that respond to accidents which you mentioned Do you have like categories of responders with different trainings that you know respond to various, you know Scenes. Yes, I do. Number one. I mentioned we're having a training school of first aid Number two training school of an ambulance operator course In terms of fire We are limited as paramedics and EMTs We're given we respond but there's a space you've been given Stay here All right, so there's a limit wait for the evacuation team to bring on those patients where you are All right. Yes. I'll explain on that now. We as alpha ambulance service We are basically Majorly involved in medical emergencies And trauma And trauma. All right. Yes, whereby this medical emergencies and trauma that given two categories Basic life support. This is a basic case and number two advanced cardiac life support These are we're going now into advanced stage of care. So we have teams which are trained Basically for these basic life support emergencies And you're having a team which has trained for advanced cardiac life support emergencies Yeah, so the cardiac is the extreme the cardiac now is now the advanced one. All right And the basic one is now the lower stage of Advanced cardiac life support. So I told you as a dispatcher when our descent call comes in We shall send an ambulance that covers that case That ambulance is meant for that basic case that ambulance has a team which is trained basically for that case But as the scope of practice advances We'll find out many of our paramedics in our company and mts in our company. They are trained at advanced level whereby we don't have this mixtures This scrum these scrubbers back and forth if it's a basic case We are sending an advanced case if it's an advanced case. We are sending an advanced case whereby it cuts across The board right. Yes. How do you how do you actually determine that because you know I believe you have a total number. Do you have like a total number for your organization? Yes, I do It's usually free No, it's now because you're working on that So you will not be working on that to be a toll-free number But if you call there someone who will pick that call And ask you where you are No, this is a medical dispatcher medical dispatcher. He or she can Determine if you from the symptoms you are presenting You she can can determine if this is a basic case Or this is a advanced cardiac life case. For example, if a call comes in Hey, my name is alpha I'm Many of them are callers I've just seen somebody here has just been hit with a vehicle and this person is bleeding crucially This patch. Okay from where will be from the lower extremities You see this is a basic life support case But you never know because they bystander don't give you information. He or she doesn't have knowledge All right. Yeah, so you're saying you're sending an ambulance. It is advanced But if you see if a call comes in, I'm having a chest pain A stumbling chest pain and people say I'm having issues with my sugars. It is my blood pressure Definitely. This is an advanced cardiac case Chest pain. Yes So you're able to determine that we are able to determine that on call on phone But the team that we send is an advanced team Which is interesting because uh, I'm sure there's there's usually that also that challenge of language It's usually everywhere, you know, somebody can call speaking another different language that you know The responder maybe doesn't understand Do you also like maybe have interpreters who are on board to actually just, you know, try to interpret like somebody's calling It's like, you know, the customer can somebody calling safari come but speaking in avanaki Yes, we we did have an internship of the same Analysis and thank you that I've gotten it became in where we received a call from sotdan Yeah, but these are patients who wants to be evacuated from the nearest booking the nearest airport to A facility here in in Kenya So it it's just another time whereby we had someone who was doing that internship in Our company So she really assisted us with that that thing is there challenge there But at least having someone who does that Interpretation of the same but in in these guards your message will be received Someone will be sending that that message Confidentially in our system and he or she will get back to you Right. Yes As we near to us The end of this this discussion. I'd just like to know what are some of the most common cases that you guys solve You mentioned a lot of accidents. I don't know if it's that it's that like the most common scenario that you guys, you know Prone to all the time that you get to you know help No Emergency is an emergency Support can still have both trauma and medical right, but our team is majorly I can say I can give 80 percent on medical cases And traumatic cases 20 percent, but now you see with the trauma case. It means that There's blood There's blood leaking out That that that that's trauma that means that an external force Has been applied Against your your body and most of these trauma cases that the most which are so much vigorous entails in seeing stabilization We must you must give some medications. You must intervene well and this is the most of cases that are Really are traumatizing to most of our medical premiums, but in medical cases. It's about History taking correct intervention taking of vital signs Reported to a dispatcher dispatcher coasting another facility. We are talking about patients and all is well Right, we'll find medical case medical case most of them occur in our in our houses Trauma cases most of them occur outside in the public right you I understand your company was Formerly solidified in 2020 right and you're also working with the county government. Are you working with the county? We are working with the Nairobi metropolitan services. All right. I also one of our bested cases Right. Yes. So are there some of the of the gaps that you guys are coming in to fill in terms of even improving Medical response in Nairobi specifically that you'd say In as much as this new Regime is coming in. This is what we are actually presenting on the table and is among our visions as well as a company Yes, uh, as I mentioned earlier, we're having this foundation We are aiming to work with the county government because they receive much of this is this course also from those Areas that I've mentioned around Islam areas whereby we need of Evacuating bread mothers to their facility number one number two also working with the police here in Nairobi How how can their sisters? In case they see a road traffic accident how they can call us how could they even offer fast aid? Number three is that um with this county government also aiming we're having a system whereby if a call comes in We need to have a 10 round of 15 minutes now We're having a dashboard which we shall share with them And within this dashboard we have incorporated other imbalances For example, if a this is calls comes in from This highway highway of ours will be highly salacy. Right. Yes Which is the nearest ambulance? Which can be sent? Today's with that which apart from alpha ambulance, but this ambulance is incorporated in our system Yes with that system of theirs When you see that this this is called there's need of an ambulance coming all the way from bagai the way or From langata. Right. This ambulance which is nearest highly salacy Is the one which should be sent to pick this patient, but in coordination with the county government Yes interesting and as we come to a close maybe are there Any projects that you guys are working on to ensure that you know You guys are going to stay afloat as we exit in terms of even Improving medical health response to ensure that, you know, your organization stays afloat as much as you You mentioned that you're also working in the government as we exit I pardon Are there any future Projects or maybe future aspirations for you? Let me just call them sdgs That you guys are working on to ensure that you improve First medical response We improve on first medical Response in in this system. Yeah. Yes as I mentioned earlier, I think that they turn around time Actually, we're looking at on how turn around time of an ambulance should reach a scene This arrow should be about 15 minutes at most. So, um If the government cannot Give space for the ems that are ems are being given priority. Maybe if there's a stretch for them If police officer gets as he has he gets to hear siren This ambulance being given priority at this fire brigade being given priority to break that patient and Also looking on now we are also partnering with various manufacturers in the field of emergency and the field of medical for example, philips for example, dreger on how they could give Some aides Automated a few letters. How can they be given these first eight kids because Anything can happen and people need to be trained on how to use these aides People need to be trained back at home even in in malls even in various institutions events as well because We're having various attacks in this health care system If somebody is being trained how to use an ad one can touch an ad as he the ambulance is in road One needs to be trained on how to use a first aid kit as ambulance comes In road. I believe also number one is training Number two is education three is response time. How much time can I because you can find an ambulance is stuck on traffic Yes, how much but it's usually a big barrier, right? If I imagine you go or don't think I don't you want to respond to somebody and resemble and you're stuck in Let's say in Baghdad in Baghdad and even at That's what I'm telling you I was our company if you want to join us as an ambulance operator. Okay, you must Have a four-year experience in in Nairobi at its environment You must know when I use when I use when I use in Baghdad the way all right at this time Is it open is it moving if you in fact you must have three options when I'm I'm going to take a road. I'm at baghadi way How many are my having if baghadi is closed? How many options am I having? I'm going to Lavington. I'm on ticker road if ticker road is closed Which options am I having I don't pass through town? I'm going to Lavington and I'm on ticker road. I'm not supposed to go to town I'm supposed to use museum hill I go to Riverside stretch So there are things which I'm trying to say just knowing that you must know how to manoeuvre you must have Nairobi On your on your navigation on your navigation All right, and I'm going to be driven with any in any driver because number one you must reduce response time number two You must also watch safety safety is a priority number three. You must know Which kind of a patient are you carry because if you're carrying a patient who's having a Trauma at the back and you are bumping with the bombs. You are cornering sharp You eventually lose that patient. So no matter how fast you are you can be fast and Small soft and you can be fast and rough. Yeah. Yes, which is not required Is not required as as as an ambulance operator I didn't want to stress on that as an ambulance operator Yes, basically and our our numbers are That place it's zero seven eleven four seven five four seven five And zero seven uh one five zero zero zero three three three and I'm also part of the team. All right, that response I am an emergency advanced emergency medical technician. You're an advanced. Yes The same time also an advanced ambulance operator. So I'm also I can steer the ambulance. I can maneuver through traffic And at the same time I can also be with the patient behind While another driver is okay driving the ambulance. Yes. They're called operators operators Where where is the office? Where are the offices located? I also located in in Tawala But our ambulances are based in cbd. All right one along electricity house Another one is along value road, but they do interchange at the times goes by Right. Yes. Yes. Yes. Right. Uh, that's our time right there with Michael. I'm Rossi Lujumbo who's an emergency medical technician working with emergency response teams right there to ensure that you know, uh, health facilities or Responding to emergency situations When it comes to even ensuring that, you know, you're at an event. You're at a mall. You're at the public space You are safer just in case something happens to you. Yes. It is the guy to go to all right there. Thank you so much for your time Thank you. So for this time, it's my pleasure. Right and the public has it or any time you call alfambola service We shall respond as professionals. Thank you You're welcome All right, you're taking a short break. Uh, when we come back We'll be having uh, Mr. Wild Kenya. We'll be talking about matters. Um, the pangency and the community service How can we also I love the fact that it's also relating to service and you know, uh, um, Ambrosi here is uh, has been actually telling us, you know, how to ensure that, you know, you stay self So we'll be having that discussion shortly on the hashtag or in the morning on everyone all our social media platforms Facebook, instagram and on twitter as well. We take a break. We are back with much more Don't type the dial