About Us
A Little Bit of History – About S.T.A.R.T.
The story starts with one person who’d seen too much. Konrad Jones spent years as a longstanding employee of Netcare911, responding to crashes, cardiac arrests, and every kind of crisis you can imagine. He watched people die waiting for help. He saw the gaps in the system. And when COVID-19 hit South Africa in 2020, those gaps became chasms.
During the pandemic, traditional emergency services were overwhelmed. Response times stretched. Resources ran thin. People were suffering, and Konrad couldn’t sit still. He reached out to other EMS professionals, first responders, and community members who felt the same frustration. The idea was simple: create a network of trained volunteers who could respond immediately because they already lived in the neighborhoods that needed help.
How S.T.A.R.T. Rescue Began
The primary aim of the Specialised Tactical Accident Response Team (S.T.A.R.T.) is to bring together various individuals who are able to respond to medical and rescue emergencies under one organization.
What started as an NPO quickly evolved into a broader-based emergency service provider dedicated to supporting the communities within which its members reside.
The organisation was established in 2020 and quickly gained momentum, attracting community members who combined their resources and expertise, responding to all types of emergencies.
The primary objective was to ensure that the nearest available responders could promptly attend to each emergency, obtaining the correct information and relaying it back to the control centre, thereby allowing for the swift dispatch of appropriate resources as required.
The First Callout
S.T.A.R.T. Rescue officially formed in 2020 with a handful of volunteers and basic equipment. The first emergency call came at 3am on a Saturday. A child with severe breathing difficulties in Pinetown. Three team members were on scene in seven minutes. The child survived.
Word spread quickly after that. Other medical professionals joined. Rescue specialists offered their skills. Community members stepped up for training. Within six months, we had fifty active responders. Within a year, we’d handled over 300 emergencies.
Who We Are Today
The formation of S.T.A.R.T. facilitated collaboration among various fields of operation and created an efficient system for managing emergencies effectively. The vision has now become a reality thanks to the collaborative efforts of like-minded individuals and organizations.
The news of S.T.A.R.T.’s activity spread rapidly, and the organization grew swiftly, attracting others who shared their vision, making the team stronger and bringing them closer to achieving their goals. What began in KwaZulu-Natal has now expanded to serve communities across both KZN and Gauteng provinces.
With a robust team of approximately 250 members, S.T.A.R.T. Rescue is proud to serve communities and provide much-needed support during difficult times. We’re paramedics and nurses working their day jobs, then volunteering nights and weekends. We’re rope rescue technicians, K9 handlers, pilots, and rescue enthusiasts who’ve turned their skills toward saving lives. We’re trauma counsellors, event coordinators, and fundraising volunteers who keep the whole operation running.
But here’s what really defines us: we’re your neighbours. The person who responds to your emergency might be the same person you see at the shops or wave to on morning walks. That local connection drives everything we do.
S.T.A.R.T. is a registered non-profit organisation that fosters collaboration between private entities, volunteer organisations, community-based groups, and its own members. Our main purpose is to save the lives of both humans and animals, and to assist with medical and rescue emergencies encompassing both human and animal welfare.
Our Vision
To provide a community-based First Responder Team who proficiently attend to and manage emergencies within their areas of operation.
We are one team, with one goal and one passion: We save lives.
Our Mission
By creating community awareness through social media networking, we ensure ongoing recruitment and training of community-driven, passionate people.
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