Every SATIB policy holder has access to SATIB24 Crisis Call when there is a threat of injury or loss. Whether a medical illness, motor vehicle accident, assault, missing person or any serious accident or security incident, they are there to assist. The incredible team at the operations centre, as well as the remote medical team, always work hard to ensure that policy holders and/or their guests receive the right care at the right time – no matter how rural or remote.
But what sets the SATIB24 team apart from other response providers? According to Operations Manager, Martin McColl it starts at the very beginning with the recruitment process.
How the magic happens
“When you look at most operations centres, a call comes into a call handler who will take down the basic information and then hand the call over to an incident manager, who will then escalate it to someone else and eventually it will get to someone who can deal with it,” says Martin. “We knew we wanted SATIB24 to be different.”
This means everyone at SATIB24’s operations centre is operationally experienced – from the very first time a call is answered. The recruitment drive was focussed on ex-military, ex-police and ex-medical personnel, which means each and every call is dealt with by someone who has experience with similar incidents in the past and can work under pressure. Importantly, each individual has extraordinary communication skills, which means they can coordinate the response on the ground, while keeping the casualties calm and informed.
“In short, these people are capable of so much more than simply gathering details regarding an incident and forwarding them on – they are capable of taking swift, decisive action when it’s needed most,” says Martin.
Remote trauma response
SATIB24’s remote medical team is just as impressive, with each member boasting at least 10+ years’ experience in remote medicine and first aid in Africa.
This means that they all have a good knowledge of the country’s different regions and locations, as well as excellent connections with service providers and recommended facilities, allowing them to send the best possible response team based on each separate incident.
The big picture
Another outstanding aspect of the service? It’s forward-thinking approach to dealing with incidents.
“Our response coordinators are trained to gather relevant details regarding an incident not only for the individuals who are directly involved, but for the lodges and the businesses that may be affected,” says Martin. “In other words, we are always thinking about more than just the impact of the incident at the time.”
This includes trauma counselling for all involved – and risk management and mitigation strategies to ensure that certain incidents never happen again.
For Martin, the real value of SATIB24 is that it delivers the whole package, including looking at how an incident could affect a lodge or guesthouse’s reputation.
“Our responders actively work to ensure proper PR or media support to prevent any subsequent reputational damage – a factor that is often overlooked by other response teams,” explains Martin.
While SATIB24’s primary goal is to provide the right response at the right time, and to get all individuals involved in an incident transferred to the right facility for the right care, the team works hard to cover all bases, including trauma counselling and risk management.
“Response time is key to our success, as is constant communication, and retaining focus on the bigger picture as opposed to viewing the incident as a standalone entity,” concludes Martin.
For more information on SATIB24, click here or call +27 311 002 370 in an emergency.
