The Centrum Guardian Project is back on SABC3

The City of Johannesburg’s Emergency Management Services (EMS), which has 28 base stations, covers an area of 1 620km^² and serves a population of almost 3.6 million people. They respond to approximately 250 000 calls a year, which means that people in Gauteng are assisted 684 times a day. The Western Cape Government Health: Emergency Medical Services (WCG Health: EMS) performed 538 017 ambulance missions in 2011, transporting 479 079 patients in an urban priority 1 (urgent) response performance of 68.9% within 15 minutes and rural priority 1 response performance of 89.2% within 40 minutes.

In 2013, 8 finalists have been selected for the 2013 Centrum^® Guardian Project. They will be profiled in a 7-week documentary drama series on SABC3 called Centrum^® Guardians 2013, hosted by Ruda Landman. The show is comprised of dramatic re-creations of the stories that the finalists have been nominated for. Centrum^® Guardians 2013 started on Sunday, 4 August 2013.

Landman has been involved in the project for four years. She is a well-known journalist who graced our screens on Carte Blanche for almost 20 years. Her co-presenter, Derek Watts described her as “intelligent and fair-minded with loads of integrity". What strikes the Centrum^® team about her is that six years on, she still lives in the public consciousness. “Carte Blanche expanded my horizons beyond anything I could have dreamed of. It taught me to get out of my box and let go of my comfortable assumptions,” said Landman.

Landman describes the Emergency Services industry as a “brotherhood of men and women”. At big incidents, the various teams on the scene work together without confusion, nor the involvement of egos. She stresses that for every call received, the teams involved exert themselves physically and push their emotional boundaries, each time, no matter the magnitude of the incident. “My actuality background meant that I often had to focus on what was wrong, but this show is different. It is enormously uplifting to focus on good things that are happening. These great stories of humanity need to be highlighted.” One common characteristic that people in the Emergency Services industry share is that they are very modest. This show “compliments and thanks them for their selfless actions”. Landman is keen to change the mindset of the public. “If there is one thing I want to impress upon the public, it is that the words ‘Thank You’ go a long way. If you or anyone close to you is ever in a situation where a paramedic, fire fighter or rescue volunteer assists in a time of need, please thank them afterwards. It truly goes a long way in keeping these hard-working men and women motivated.”

In 2013, Gerald Moswathupa will present safety tips for the public. Moswathupa is a highly qualified Rescue Technician and holds a BTech Fire Technology degree from the Tshwane University of Technology. He is currently the acting station manager at the Ekurhuleni Emergency Training Academy. It is his responsibility to co-ordinate and plan the content for Fire and Rescue courses. His vast knowledge and experience will certainly teach the viewers how to avoid accidents or assist in emergency situations.

The award-winning director of the series, Mike Yelseth said, “Getting the finalists to tell their stories on camera is difficult as they are self-effacing, so it is my job to make sure that the brilliance of their actions shines through.” Yelseth’s passion for storytelling has taken him worldwide, often working in challenging environments and has encompassed a wide range of broadcast genres. He has worked on numerous international productions, receiving three Prime Time Emmy nominations for Outstanding Cinematography. He was director of photography on the popular CBS show, The Amazing Race, which received the Emmy Award for Best Reality Show. Locally, he has directed Vlok and Fordyce on the Run, DansDansDans, The Apprentice, Culture Shock as well as numerous documentaries. In 2010, he received an Emmy Award for his work on Survivor XX Samoa. Centrum^® Guardians is produced by Jasmyn Asvat, who has over 14 years of experience and has worked with Yelseth since the inception of the TV element of the project.

Voting for the finalists opened to the public on Monday, 1 July and close on Wednesday, 11 September. The winner will be announced at the finale event on the Thursday, 12 September and on TV on Sunday, 15 September. Voting can be done via SMSing the trait of the Guardian or team to 34020. Proceeds from SMS votes will be donated to the Guardian’s base station. SMS’s are charged at R1.50 and free SMS’s don’t apply. Alternatively, ‘Like’ and vote on the Facebook page or visit www.centrumguardian.com and/or www.centrumguardian.mobi. The winner will be determined by a 50/50 split between public and independent panel votes.

The Centrum^® Guardian Project is a corporate social investment project implemented by Centrum^®, the world’s number one multivitamin. “We are astounded by the calibre of nominations we receive each year. Every single story has an element of bravery, passion, and determination, to name just a few of the attributes that the remarkable men and women in the EMS possess. We are proud to showcase the Emergency Services industry and share the work they do with the South African public through the Centrum® Guardians series.” said Centrum^® brand manager, Natasha Macdonald.

For the full list of terms and conditions and for more information, visit www.centrumguardian.com.