Pursuing his people-rescuing passion Rugged, easy-going and unassuming Travis Trower (38), Principal for Rescue South Africa, is wholeheartedly dedicated to saving lives. This was formally recognised by the United Nations earlier in 2019 when he courageously led a team of volunteers during one of the most successful disaster responses in South African history – Cyclone Idai in Mozambique.
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escue SA is an NGO that trains emergency response personnel, co-ordinates volunteers and provides equipment for disaster recovery missions. It was one of the first NGOs to set up camp at Mozambique’s second city, Beira, where Trower hung out of helicopters and waded through muddy floodwaters to help rescue thousands of people during the gruelling 10-day mission. He left his heavily pregnant wife at home and missed out on his wedding anniversary without remuneration to lend a hand.
Trower was also in the thick of the rescue mission after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, the Tongaat Mall collapse in 2013 as well as the Nepal earthquake in 2015, which took place only a week after he was married! “I find [that] this [saving lives] is the biggest honour and privilege. I don’t get PTSD and stuff because doing this makes me happy,” said Trower. Ever humble, Trower cannot say what his greatest career success has been: “I am grateful that I have been blessed with the opportunity to help people in some of the worst disaster areas in the world and that I still get to do that in my current role.” So, what exactly birthed such zeal for rescuing people in the eldest of four children from a modest household in Hilton? “When I was younger, my father and I spent a lot of time in the mountains. This is where my love for rock climbing started and I think this is what sparked my interest in Search and Rescue.” He spent most of his childhood outdoors, never had any TV games or spent much time watching TV like other children. He attended Merchiston Preparatory School and later Maritzburg College in Pietermaritzburg. Both his parents (his mom worked for Medi-Clinic and his father for Nestlé) encouraged him to study after matric. Trower completed a National Diploma in Emergency Medical Care and Rescue and went on to do a Bachelor
Travis Trower DUT BTech Emergency Medical Care graduate
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