Centrum® Guardian Project 2013

The focus and stamina of rescue swimmer Torsten Henschel saves a 15-year-old boy from drowning after a rip current pulls him out to a severe and treacherous sea.
Rip Current Rescue, Wilderness
Off duty fire fighter Hakeem Meyer’s mental and physical agility saves three tourists from certain drowning.
Tourists Rescued at Sea, Cape Town
Fire fighter Jongikhaya Nombakuse crawls through waterlogged, exposed electrical wires and flames fuelled by strong winds to rescue an old man from his burning shack.
Shack Fire Rescue, Lansdowne
Advanced Life Support Paramedic Wayne Broodryk’s brave and immediate action saves an unconscious man trapped in a burning car from certain death.
Burning Car Extrication, Randburg
Fire fighters Eggberry and Kruger brave the raging Vaal River in full flood and overcome dangerous obstacles to save a trapped fisherman.
River Rescue, Vaal River
Early intervention and the determination of a team of paramedics give a 1-year-old drowning victim a fighting chance at survival.
Drowned 1-Year-Old Resuscitated, Klerksdorp
Fire, medical and rescue personnel endure for hours to rescue vagrant men trapped under a collapsed building.
Concrete Structure Collapse Recovery, Stellenbosch
Purpose, expertise and hours of painstaking concentration by a team of fire fighters saves a critical patient trapped in an industrial machine at a packaging plant.
Man Extricated from Industrial Machine, Johannesburg
Lifesaver, Carey Glover’s initiative saves not one, but several lives off the Umhlanga coast in peak season.
Lives Saved by 15-year-old Lifeguard, Umhlanga
Bennie van der Wath instinctive reaction saves the life of a fellow fire fighter when gas cylinders explode in what was reported to be a simple veld fire.
Scrap-Yard Fire Response, Vereeniging
The reflexes and quick action by a team of fire fighters saves the life of a 3-year-old dog attack victim in critical condition.
Mauled 3-Year-Old Stabilized, Belhar
Paramedic Richard Schouten’s skill and experience saves the life of a stowaway detection officer in grave danger.
Stowaway Search Operation, Richards Bay
The focus and stamina of rescue swimmer Torsten Henschel saves a 15-year-old boy from drowning after a rip current pulls him out to a severe and treacherous sea.
Rip Current Rescue, Wilderness
Sheer strength from a team of fire fighters saves a father and daughter from drowning in their submerged car.
Submerged Car in River Rescue, Wadeville
During floods in the low-veld region, 72 hours of sustained, coordinated and precise effort by several agencies result in a world-class operation where over 300 people are evacuated and 55 critical rescues performed.
Large Scale Flood Response, Limpopo and Mpumalanga
Fire fighter Claassen’s tenacity saves a young boy from drowning in a muddy marsh after a car accident lands the occupants deep in a swamp.
Swamp Rescue of Young Boy, Port Elizabeth
A small, passionate team of fire fighters responds to a fire at a block of flats saving forty trapped residents, one by one.
Flat Fire Evacuation, Matlosana

Rip Current Rescue, Wilderness

15 January 2012, NSRI rescue swimmer Torsten Henschel responds to a drowning in progress. Due to the fierce power of the rip current, several rescue attempts fail and Henschel knows he has only one chance to reach the boy. His focus and stamina drives him to brave the water and save the 15-year-old’s life.
Tourists Rescued at Sea, Cape Town

1 January 2012, off duty fire fighter Hakeem Meyer and his family walk onto the beach where a panicked bather calls to them for help. Three German tourists had been swept away by a rip current and were in serious trouble. Meyer recovers the first victim, gives instructions to willing assistants and performs CPR while managing the scene and making arrangements for an emergency medical evacuation.
Shack Fire Rescue, Lansdowne

28 May 2011, fire fighters respond to a shack fire in the Lansdowne informal settlement. Battling stone-throwing crowds, strong winds, towering flames, illegal electrical connections and exposed wires, fire fighter Jongikhaya Nombakuse hears a faint cough from a shack. Leopard-crawling, using a piece of wood as an insulator, he reaches the shack to find an old man inside. He drags the man to safety and treats him. Nombakuse’s alertness and courage saves the old man’s life.
Burning Car Extrication, Randburg

3 September 2011, Advanced Life Support Paramedic Wayne Broodryk responds to a motor vehicle accident – where a car is on fire. The severity of the flames prevents ambulance crew from approaching. On arrival, Broodryk grabs his protective jacket and gets into the car – only to discover that the patient’s legs are trapped under the dashboard. Broodryk uses all his strength to free the man from the raging fire.
River Rescue, Vaal River

10 January 2011, the Vaal River is in full flood and a fisherman is trapped in treacherous swift water. Matlosana Fire and Rescue crew respond. The force of the water causes severe damage to the rescue craft but the fire fighters don’t give up. They continue to navigate through maelstroms and fast flowing debris to reach the hypothermic and dehydrated patient. Their courage and steadfast resolve saves the fisherman’s life.
Drowned 1-Year-Old Resuscitated, Klerksdorp

6 March 2012, a one-year-old wanders off and falls into the swan pond by her house. After a frantic search her parents find her, floating face down in the water. Her uncle quickly calls for help. Neil Coetzer, an Intermediate Life Support Medic sets in motion a chain of events that saves the child’s life.
Concrete Structure Collapse Recovery, Stellenbosch

23 August 2011, three vagrant men create a makeshift shelter in an abandoned building. Heavy rain causes flooding and the collapse of the concrete structure. Medical, fire and rescue personnel work in wet, dark, difficult conditions and after hours of endurance, rescue one critical patient and recover the remaining two victims.
Man Extricated from Industrial Machine, Johannesburg

27 July 2011, en route to the scene, Shift D mentally prepares for an entrapment – but nothing could prepare them for what they found. A man was trapped in an industrial machine in a position that seemed impossible to free him. After three hours and resourceful interventions, the man is extricated and airlifted in a critical but stable condition.
Lives Saved by 15-year-old Lifeguard, Umhlanga

18 December 2011, Carey Glover’s first real day on active lifesaver duty. Her squad leader is busy pointing out a sandbank and the dangers it poses to unsuspecting people, when 5 bathers show clear signs of distress. The squad leader and second lifesaver rush to assist. Carey must make a decision – run and call for help or follow and be the back up. Carey’s initiative saves more than one life that day.
Scrap-Yard Fire Response, Vereeniging

7 December 2011, Shift B responds to a grass fire on a smallholding. On arrival fire fighters call for back up as the veld fire was in fact burning in a scarp yard. When gas cylinders explode, and crew are injured, Bennie van der Wath’s instinct kicks in to save a fellow crew member.
Mauled 3-Year-Old Stabilized, Belhar

3 March 2012, a dog viciously attacks a 3-year old boy. A good samaritan witnesses the attack and drives the child to the closest fire station where a team of fire fighters spring into action to treat the child. Putting aside the emotional horror, the team treat and medicate the critical child handing him over in a stable condition.
Stowaway Search Operation, Richards Bay

6 September 2011, after several failed interventions, two stowaway detection officers lay unconscious in the cargo hold of a ship. The load of damp woodchips set off a toxic gas combination of carbon monoxide and methane making the area extremely dangerous. Advanced Life Support Paramedic Richard Schouten, kitted with his high angle rescue equipment, applies skill and experience to save the life of one officer and recover the second victim.
Rip Current Rescue, Wilderness

15 January 2012, NSRI rescue swimmer Torsten Henschel responds to a drowning in progress. Due to the fierce power of the rip current, several rescue attempts fail and Henschel knows he has only one chance to reach the boy. His focus and stamina drives him to brave the water and save the 15-year-old’s life.
Submerged Car in River Rescue, Wadeville

23 November 2011, Advanced Life Support Paramedic Shawn Webb and Officer Graeme Waghorn are informed of an accident close-by. Calling for back up while responding, they arrive to find a car in the river next to the highway, underwater and sucked into the mud. The occupants float lifelessly inside the flooded vehicle. The crew’s quick response, sheer strength and early medical intervention save the lives of both father and daughter.
Large Scale Flood Response, Limpopo and Mpumalanga

A cumec is the flow of one cubic meter (1000 litres) of water per second m³/s. Between 1-50 m³/s can wash a person away. Between 50-100 m³/s can wash a car away. 18 January 2012, the lower Sabie River was flowing at 6,500 m³/s. This was the result of tropical storm Dando that hit the Low-veld when approximately half a meter of rain fell within the space of 12 hours. Thousands of people were affected, hundreds faced danger and millions of Rands worth of damage was caused. A sustained, coordinated and precise rescue operation by various South African agencies saves many lives in a world-class emergency response.
Swamp Rescue of Young Boy, Port Elizabeth

31 July 2011, fire fighter Claassen is driving home after his shift and witnesses the dust cloud of an accident just happened. The car had landed deep in the swamp and Claassen can see a young child presumed trapped by the car. He wades into the muddy swamp, pulls the boy out of the mud and makes his way back to dry land where he performs CPR. That day, Claassen’s dogged tenacity saves the child’s life.
Flat Fire Evacuation, Matlosana

10 September 2011, fire fighters respond to a block of flats on fire. The 5-storey building is filled with smoke, with flames raging from a shop on the ground floor. People are standing at the windows, ready to jump. The 5-man crew split up, some attacking the fire while others find a way in to rescue the trapped residents. After a gruelling ordeal, the team safely evacuate more than forty residents.

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A large team of passionate and committed people make the Centrum® Guardian Project possible.

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WELCOME TO THE
CENTRUM
®
GUARDIAN PROJECT 2013

The Centrum^® Guardian Project recognises and showcases incredible stories about the people in the South African Emergency Services: Fire Fighters, Rescue Technicians, Paramedics, Lifeguards, Off-Road and Sea Rescue volunteers…

We rarely think about the work done by our Emergency Services . . . until they hold our lives in their hands. Then, our world depends on their skill and dedication.

Centrum^® Guardians is an action-packed documentary drama television series hosted by Ruda Landman. Incidents for which semi-finalists were nominated are recreated. Each episode tells the story of the courageous men and women who respond to the emergency, giving the public a glimpse into the vital efforts made by our emergency and rescue professionals.

The emergency and rescue services industry have nominated incredible incidents of courage, passion and determination for 2013. Nominations for 2013 are now closed.

The 2013 Centrum^® Guardian semi-finalists will be announced on 1 July 2013. Be sure to check back then.

Visit us on Facebook for more information on the Centrum^® Guardian Project and the amazing work our emergency services do. You will also get a glimpse of some behind the scenes photographs of the 2013 production process.

Centrum^® is balanced and complete from A to Zinc.