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.

Rescue 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

Learn from your hardships and always work hard. Life is a journey, and your mistakes become the lessons you need to grow as a human being. It is this process that turns you into the kind of person who can save lives.

TROWER’S WORK HISTORY

of Technology Degree in Emergency Medical Care, both at DUT. He is currently doing his Master’s in Emergency Medical Care at the University of Johannesburg where he is still an honorary lecturer (he has trained on everything from emergency cardiovasular support to technical rescue). He is now working at the Nelson Mandela University as their rescue coordinator for the Bachelors Degree in Emergency Medical Care. He has spent most of his time during the COVID-19 lockdown placing all the rescue modules online for the Nelson Mandela University. “Being a student was difficult as I also had three other siblings who needed to study. I worked part-time at ER24 and they gave me a lot of support as I was able to work at night and study during the day,” said Trower. “I think being a student has its ups and downs, but when I look back on it, I enjoyed it – especially the Rescue component of the course.” Trower is involved in rescues on a day-to-day basis with the South African Police Service (Search and Rescue), Gift of the Givers, RescueTech, The Mountain Club of South Africa as well as The Fire and Rescue Department. He has also assisted with training the eThekwini Fire and Rescue Department. Trower completed various part-time contracts within mine rescue and oil and gas throughout East Africa doing consulting work, medical coverage and technical rescue training. His responsibilities have mainly involved clinical training in emergency medical care (advanced life support skills in extreme rescue environments) for the past 10 years. His

clinical work experience spans 19 years. His advice to students is: “Work hard and embrace the system that you are in. It has to be designed in a way that can only benefit you, make you a better person and rescue practitioner. No pressure, no diamonds!”

Despite working and studying hard, he does manage to carve out time with his precious family in Port Elizabeth – his ‘amazing and understanding’ wife Elanie (they’ve been together for seven years and married for five) and two beautiful daughters – Hannah, 10 and Lily, 14 months old. Whenever he gets the opportunity, he escapes to the great outdoors – surfing, rock climbing, hiking, fishing or hunting.

The apt motto that he lives by is: “You have never lived till you have almost died. For those who have fought for it, life has a flavour the protected shall never know” – Guy de Maupassant.