Cape Town’s Red Cross Air Mercy Service is often the gold standard in critical emergency response; flight paramedics often risk life and limb to save the lives of others
It’s a high pace adrenaline filled job that attracted 25 year old Lindsey Cyster to the ranks as an External Load Operator, a position that requires her to load and extricate patients and rescue personnel.
She’s become the first civilian ELO on the continent to become fully operational, a job she relishes for its challenge
Most of her time is spent either in the air or at base, where she meticulously checks all her safety and medical equipment, any faults could cost someone their life
In the golden hour, flight paramedics are on the clock to get patients to advanced health care facilities but aerial rescues in its own poses server danger to the crew as well
At the graduation class of newly recruited external load operators, Lindsey was singled out by the provincial Minister of health as a role model to other female recruits
For now though they while the Air Mercy Service crew wait for their next callout, they can be assured that their newest recruit stands ready for the calling
Paramedics frequently risk their own lives to save others; one of their toughest missions is air rescue. In Cape Town, South Africa, a young woman has just made history, by joining the ranks of these heroes. Travers Andrews reports
