1 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:03,480 Speaker 1: He's pulling up to your hood and your home to 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:05,400 Speaker 1: hear your neighborhood story. 3 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 2: It's Leicester in your. 4 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:10,160 Speaker 1: Lounge, live fun, cattle. 5 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 2: And our host this morning. I've been the very hospitable 6 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 2: and very gracious people at the Air Mercy Service space 7 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 2: here and airport industry. We've been broadcasting here from a hangar. 8 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 2: Right next to us is a fixed wing. Next to us, 9 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 2: you're on the right hand side, there's a helicopter and 10 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 2: it's a place where life saving missions quite literally take 11 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 2: off and for nearly sixty years. In fact, last week 12 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:39,360 Speaker 2: celebrated sixty years of AMS for transporting critically ill and 13 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 2: injured patients offering from remote rural communities to the major 14 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 2: hospitals here in the Western Cape Herotoskia and Red Cross 15 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:53,239 Speaker 2: Memorial Children's Hospital for hart Halphaje is the CEO of 16 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 2: Air Mercy Service. Really appreciate your time and thank you 17 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 2: for having us there this morning. 18 00:00:57,760 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 1: Good morning Lester, Good morning to the listeners, and thank 19 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: you so much for taking the time to come out 20 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 1: here to see the incredible work that this organization has 21 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 1: been doing for the last six decades. 22 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 2: That has been incredible work. And yes, I was telling 23 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:12,319 Speaker 2: Vanessa earlier. When an organization does so, as is so 24 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 2: part of our culture, you expect it to be a 25 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 2: state organization. But you're not you. You're You're You're ange O, 26 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:26,319 Speaker 2: You're you you. You operate independently, but you're so part 27 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 2: of the concept of what search and rescue and the 28 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 2: movement of injured and ill people that that we talked 29 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 2: to you has simply just been part of our communities fabric. 30 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 1: Absolutely, you know, civil society as a whole place, big 31 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: part in this country, and the Embassy Service is one 32 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 1: of those organizations where we operate as a pure non 33 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: profit organization. We have the support of the communities that 34 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: we work with, will work hand in glove or with 35 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: government in order to create a partnership, and that partnership 36 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: delivers directly to social impact within our communities. It would 37 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: be impossible to do this alone. So aside from the 38 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 1: partnerships with government, we have other stakeholders, other civil society organizations, 39 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 1: lots of volunteers from the private sector who all participate 40 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: as important stakeholders to make sure that the communities benefit 41 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: from the incredible service that this organization provides. 42 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 2: Like any big legacy organizations, McDonald started with one forceful place, 43 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 2: Henry Ford started with one model T. The A Mercy 44 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 2: Services started in nineteen sixty six with one Sessler. 45 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: Well, actually it started with the Piper Aztec, which is 46 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: a really small aircraft that was donated by the rotary 47 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 1: movement at that time, and it gradually grew over the 48 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: decades to become the service that now provides a common, 49 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: apprehensive basket of aeromedical services. In fact, we are the 50 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 1: only aeromedical organization of the continent that does this. When 51 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: I say that, I mean we have the aircraft which 52 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: are owned and operated by the nonprofit organization AMS. We 53 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: employer our own pilots, our own medics in certain instances, 54 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: our own aircraft maintenance engineers, and everything is done under 55 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: one roof. All three of the core focus areas which 56 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: we operate in being air ambulance, technical rescue and Rural 57 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 1: Health Outreach also called the Flying Doctor service, are done 58 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: within and under the roof of the AMS. It's quite unique. 59 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 2: While you contracted with the Western Cape government and the 60 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 2: Department of being independent means you don't automatically have a 61 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 2: pool of taxpayers to support you. And let's talk about 62 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 2: this this this period now of increased fuel costs alone. 63 00:03:58,320 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 2: Just how is that impacting me? 64 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: It's massive. I've been listening to Kate Dog the whole 65 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 1: morning and there's been the talk of paraffine and the 66 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: number of households that still use paraffine in Mondary two million, 67 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: and the unregulated pricing around paraffine and how much more 68 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:18,600 Speaker 1: that is increasing on the jet and you know they 69 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: said that jet A one is a form of paraffine. 70 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:24,599 Speaker 1: Paraffin is an undefined form of jet A one fuel. 71 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:29,479 Speaker 1: We've seen over about a course of ten days a 72 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: price increase of around one hundred and thirty percent. It's massive, 73 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 1: it's huge, and this is we're seeing it in a 74 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 1: travel as well. You see pricing going up. 75 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,840 Speaker 2: That's the search The search arge is being charged now 76 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 2: by the commercial. 77 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:48,159 Speaker 1: Air absolutely and so all of that has a direct 78 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:52,719 Speaker 1: impact on our operating costs. Those fuel costs go directly 79 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:54,599 Speaker 1: towards our direct operating costs. 80 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 2: And you can't charge a search arge for someone who 81 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 2: is in emergency critical up an accident on the end 82 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:05,479 Speaker 2: once somewhere Lew Kamka, you can't say please buy yoursearch 83 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 2: arge before before we take you. 84 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: And as system absolutely not There's going to be some 85 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 1: very interesting times coming up as we continue to struggle 86 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 1: for survival and sustainability. And that's why we need the 87 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 1: public to continue to support us. Not just the public individuals, 88 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: but corporates and others who are able to put their 89 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: hands in their pockets for such a great service where 90 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: every mission either saves or changes alive for us. 91 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 2: Stay on the line. Barbara's calling, and good morning. Barbara. 92 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 2: You are former nurse who volunteered at the AMS. 93 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:39,279 Speaker 3: Yes, I was. 94 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 2: Tell us your story, Barbara. 95 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 3: Well, I got into it because one of the volunteers, 96 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 3: I was the son of one of the volunteer pilots 97 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:55,280 Speaker 3: was a friend of mine and the first time they 98 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,040 Speaker 3: were looking for a nursing system to go and I went. 99 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 3: And I only went on about five flights because I 100 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 3: then moved to Victoria after that. But it was super fun. 101 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 3: We would fly from Cape Town. He would always fly 102 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:18,839 Speaker 3: up along the coast low at about two thousand feet 103 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 3: so that we could look at the view over the 104 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:27,160 Speaker 3: Chichicama coast. But then we'd fetched. We fetched children from 105 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 3: Port Elizabeth and East London and brought them back for surgery. 106 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 2: Can give us your time frame when when did you. 107 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:44,119 Speaker 3: Voluntario It was between nineteen seventy seven and nineteen seventy nine. 108 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:49,280 Speaker 2: Wow, wow, so you've been and what does this conversation, 109 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 2: what memories does it bring back? What have you been 110 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:56,080 Speaker 2: part of any any notable operations or rescues or transfers. 111 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 3: No, no, it was mainly children. Maybe baby she needed 112 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 3: surchery that could only have been uh done at But 113 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 3: of course. 114 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 2: That's fine. Well, well did you get back to your drive? 115 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: Please? 116 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 2: Please don't don't drive and be on your Barbara really 117 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 2: appreciated Barbara saying, well, she was part and volunteered DM 118 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 2: Maybe not notable, but it's notable for the people, the children, 119 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 2: the babies who had to be found for the operations, 120 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 2: it was life changing for them. 121 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: For us absolutely. First of all, big thanks to Barbara 122 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 1: and all the other hundreds of volunteers who actually give 123 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: of their time to the AMS and directly to the 124 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: communities that we serve. But yes, the point that Barbara 125 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 1: makes is an important one. There. We know that out 126 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 1: in the especially in the rural areas of South Africa, facilities, 127 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 1: health facilities are limited in terms of the scope of 128 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 1: work they can do, operations, et cetera. And so like 129 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 1: she was talking about, when there are babies who find 130 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: themselves in trouble of losing their lives and need to 131 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: get to the Red Children's Hospital as soon as possible, 132 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: it is these aircraft that God they bring them and 133 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 1: their MUDs to the hospital and actually save. 134 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:17,320 Speaker 2: Those little lives we are speaking to. For hard halfagis 135 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:21,240 Speaker 2: the see of AMRCS. For the past sixty years, they 136 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 2: have been doing critical work when it comes to the 137 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 2: transportation and the facilitation of movement, particularly with the fixed 138 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 2: wing and the helicopter aircraft to the most rural of communities. 139 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 2: Just how far does your your your map stretch? Is 140 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 2: it simply in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, parts of 141 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 2: the Northern Cape. How far is your is is your map? 142 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: So the AMS has bases operational bases in Quasilian Italic 143 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:54,959 Speaker 1: King Shaka International Airport where there's a fixed wing and 144 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 1: a helicopter, and then all across the east coast where 145 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: starting from tat Islad and Queberja, there's a helicopter in 146 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: each one of those cities. There's a helicopter in Oatswarin 147 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: and then of course a helicopter in a fixed in 148 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 1: AA in Cape Town those are the operational bases, but 149 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 1: with the aircraft we can reach anywhere in the country 150 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: or even over the borders. But we are focused very 151 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 1: much within the borders of the country, reaching especially those 152 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 1: citizens of our beautiful country who need equitable access to 153 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 1: health care. We find that it's very difficult for people, 154 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 1: especially in rural communities, to access health care in the 155 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 1: urban environment. Sometimes it's only about getting over a hill 156 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:39,840 Speaker 1: or crossing a river, and we underestimate how much that 157 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: takes in order for a person to reach the life 158 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:44,840 Speaker 1: saving health care that they need. And we always say 159 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:49,080 Speaker 1: geography should not be an obstacle to achieving the health 160 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:52,680 Speaker 1: care that you need, especially when your life is endangered. 161 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 2: It's been the experience of my wife's family. They live 162 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 2: in the are in the in the Northern Cape. I 163 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 2: don't think it was necessarily ams, but the principle remains. 164 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 2: The same youngle who needed an urgent blood transfusion that 165 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 2: had to be taken by helicopter to Kimberley would have 166 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:20,680 Speaker 2: been a three hour trip by road in forty five minutes, 167 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 2: and that is that is when you talk about the 168 00:10:24,559 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 2: equitable access when it comes to healthcare.