Adam Turner is a paramedic who went to Harare with an Operation Florian team in September 2024. He has written a short script which describes his experience.
In September I was fortunate to head to Harare in Zimbabwe with Operation Florian and a group of firefighters and one other paramedic from the UK. Our task was to deliver two courses to the ambulance crews of the Harare Fire Brigade. This was my first time in Zimbabwe and my first project with Operation Florian!
We started off by visiting the main station in Harare followed by a visit to the outlying stations in the suburbs to be able to get an idea of the geography of the city and the possible distances that crews may need to travel to incidents.
Pete (my fellow paramedic who was also a firefighter for many years!) and I started off day one of our course with 20 enthusiastic and motivated individuals with a range of clinical grades. We soon learnt that ambulance crews in Harare regularly deal with traumatic injuries and maternal emergencies on an almost daily basis. The course involved a blend of theory sessions, skill stations and practical scenarios – the crews dealt with these simulated patients fantastically!
After a week of discussing and practicing the management of medical emergencies, traumatic injuries, resuscitation and lots of other topics, the class had a final exam to sit, and everyone passed with flying colours!
After week one, our hosts had arranged a trip to the Imire rhino and wildlife conservancy for a safari for the whole team. I certainly wasn’t expecting this, and we were all extremely fortunate to see rhinos, elephants, giraffes and wildebeest to name a few.
After a rest day, we were straight into week two with a new group who were equally as enthusiastic. This week, the weather was much hotter than before which made conditions challenging at times, however this did not stop the ambulance teams from demonstrating some excellent patient care in difficult scenarios. This included a joint exercise with their firefighter colleagues who rescued multiple casualties experiencing burns and smoke inhalation.
The week finished with a passing out parade and demonstration involving firefighters and ambulance crews to an audience of their peers and local dignitaries. An impressive spectacle that demonstrated a combination of skills and competencies.
The two weeks I spent in Zimbabwe were unforgettable, I have made some great friends and I am very grateful to our hosts in Zimbabwe and Operation Florian for the opportunity.
