The terrorist bombing of the American Embassy in Nairobi on August 8, 1998 was one of the worst disasters on Kenyan soil. The terror attack totally destroyed a four-storeyed building nearby, and with it, left more than 250 people dead and thousands of others injured.
The injuries varied from simple incisions to massive avulsions, numerous fractures especially from people who tried to jump from the upper floors of nearby buildings and pedestrians with all kinds of injuries caused by flying shrapnel and pieces of broken glass.
The search and rescue efforts for those who could have been trapped in the rubble continued for five days led by the armed forces. Other rescue teams included firemen from Nairobi City Council, volunteers from St John Ambulance and Red Cross and also search and rescue teams from the Israeli Defense Forces. American, British and French rescue teams were also present. After the disaster, a training needs assessment of the Kenyan rescue teams was done. That led to the training of the first 50 Emergency Medical Technicians in East and Central Africa. The class was held between August and December 1998. It was organised by the International Medical Corps and a paramedic instructor from USA, John Garcia.
The EMTs were drawn from St John Ambulance, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi City Council, Kenya Army and the Kenya Police. In 2000, the same group of EMTs were re-trained and upgraded with the assistance of IMC/USAID and once again John Garcia and Dough Pinder, both paramedic instructors facilitated the sessions.
From that initial group of EMTs, 15 of them were further trained as emergency medical service instructors.
Through these instructors, two other groups of Emergency Medical Technician-Basic were trained in Mombasa and Nairobi bringing the total number of such experts in Kenya to 152.
The graduates further received training on search and rescue, water rescue, vehicle extrication and incident command system. After noting that there was need for improving the EMTs skills and knowledge and also training of new officers, Kenya Council of Emergency Medical Technicians, an independent mother body that would also represent the EMTs interest outside their workplace was formed.
In 2009, KCEMT was registered under the registrar of societies as the national body that represents and serves emergency medical services practitioners in Kenya through quality education, membership and national advocacy.
The organisation’s first and most important value is to serve as an advocate for quality patient care. It is currently run by volunteers.
Its vision is to see Kenya acquire the capacity to respond to emergencies adequately while at the same time create job opportunities for the youth.
The council has three working committees. The emergency medical service and health committee assists the executive committee identify and develop new educational content for EMS practitioners and ensure that the organisation’s education meets industry standards and is in compliance with all industrial regulations. The finance and administration committee deals with financial issues. They prepare the council budget and monitor the day to day expenditure and guide the executive committee on procurement issues after carrying out due diligence. The membership development and advocacy committee ensures that all members of the council are well taken care of.
KCEMT is now an American Heart Association training centre. This means it will train in basic life support and advanced cardiac life support and issue successful students with certification. The organisation holds at least one basic life support and advanced cardiac life support class every month. The council also runs classes on advanced trauma life support and emergency medical responder. The council has 28 instructors.
Kenya currently has 612 emergency medical technicians with the number growing steadily. Anyone with a passion to care for and preserve life may become an EMT.
For one to become a certified technician, they must undergo rigorous six months theory training and a further three months practical placement.
KCEMT, in collaboration with Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, will hold the third EMS skills training festival and competition on June 12-13.
The theme this year is ‘Safety... It’s not a job; It’s a way of life’.
The festival will bring together EMS agencies, personnel and stakeholders nationwide and beyond. This will provide a valuable learning and exchange platform with a particular focus on response and safety.
The event, which will be held at KICD (formerly Kenya Institute of Education), is open to the public.