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Gift of the Givers responds to Boksburg tanker explosion.

The horrific tanker explosion outside OR Tambo Memorial Hospital this morning tragically resulted in loss of life, multiple injuries with various degrees of burns, damage to the Emergency Department at the hospital, destruction of a low lying bridge, railway lines and multiple homes in the surroundings. Many onlookers watching the initial accident became victims when the tanker exploded without warning. The destruction is far greater than anyone can currently envisage.

Gift of the Givers has offered its assistance to the JOC (Joint Operation Command), our head of search and rescue, Ahmed Bham, is part of the JOC. We have put the services of our partner ambulance, Medi Response, on standby and will fund any ambulances required. Congratulations to the health and emergency services, SAPS, fire fighters and the neighbouring community for their incredible response.

Mr First Aid, City Med other medical companies and Lenmed are providing us with essential consumables required before festive shutdown at 12 noon today, most likely until 4 January 2023. Burn dressings, antibiotics for when sepsis sets in, analgesia, anaesthetics, pain delivery pumps, cleaning agents, special nutritional feeds, nasogastric pumps and related consumables are being feverishly tracked and purchased by Gift  of the Givers specialist teams to augment supplies at the various public hospitals where the injured have been transported to. The hospitals are most welcome to engage our team members on their specific needs.

Non-medical support for fire fighters, health care workers, staff, patients and families in the form of bottled water, energy drinks, energy bars, biscuits, chocolates, fruit and eye gene for fire fighters are being supplied by Gift teams. Our trucks will serve as a storage site on the hospital grounds.

Our specialist team members from throughout the country have offered their services, if required, given the short staffing situation during the festive season  Our prayers go out to all those families affected by this tragic incident. All strength to fire fighters, emergency personnel, health care workers and a generous nation. Gauteng emergency services are on their way to Mr First Aid to collect supplies of burn dressings urgently required for the victims. Gift of the Givers is funding all consumables and general supplies.

Imtiaz Sooliman

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