Mediclinic and ER24 joins Formula E medical support team
Posted on 24 February 2023
The City of Cape Town is hosting the 2023 Cape Town E-Prix late in February. This is the first-ever ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race in South Africa and brings with it large investments, international exposure and additional tourism opportunities.
As part of this historic event, Mediclinic and ER24 are proud to have been chosen as the designated medical service providers for spectator medical support. This means that our teams will be working in collaboration with other emergency resources to ensure a safe, world-class event.
“Participating in these events is a fantastic way to ensure that South Africa remains eligible and able to host internationally prized events, which bring in investments, entertainment and tourism opportunities,” says Dr Darren Green, Mediclinic Event Medicine Specialist. “We have built up very strong working relationships with Metro EMS, City of Cape Town (Fire, Traffic and Law Enforcement) as well as Health Services, South African Police and Disaster Management during other large-scale events like the Cape Town Cycle Tour or Sanlam Cape Town Marathon. These trust relationships allow us to host safe, mass participation and quality events.”
The E-Prix will be hosted across the Cape Town Seapoint and Marina area under the auspices of Formula E and the FIA. Mediclinic will offer two dedicated spectator treatment centres at opposite ends of the course to respond to any medical needs of the expected 30 000 strong spectator base. These units will be staffed by experienced event doctors and nurses. ER24 teams have been on-site since load-in for the event since early in January and will remain as emergency medical support until the site has been cleared post-breakdown. In addition to any spectator emergencies on the day, ER24 will support those residents impacted by road closures (23-25 January), offering mobile response services to those within the race precinct who may require emergency medical support.
Being ready to support these types of international events requires intense planning and the necessary skills training. Both Dr Green and Tristan Manning (Event Risk and Disaster Manager) underwent additional training to receive a Motorsport South Africa (MSA) qualification, to ensure that they are accredited as chief medical coordinators for motor racing. “Expertise is something we continue to grow. We have to keep learning as the field of event medical care expands. The doctors we have on-site have extensive experience around events, and our emergency medical support crews are the best in their field,” explains Manning.
What is encouraging is the focus on electric mobility, and the exciting opportunities this is bringing to Cape Town. “Mediclinic is committed to the drive for greater renewable and sustainable ways to perform business, so this is the ideal opportunity to learn and experience what worldwide operators can teach and introduce to our country,” concludes Dr Green. ER24 has already introduced hybrid Toyota Corolla Cross vehicles, which are utilised by their advanced life support paramedics predominantly in the metropolitan areas.