Pretoria - The United States Mission to South Africa, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided over R350 000 of financial assistance to Rescue South Africa (RSA) to provide emergency relief services to flood-impacted South Africans.
This is in response to a request from the South African Department of Social Development.
"The South African government seeks support from the private sector and community organisations, and we are pleased that USAID is able to fund one of our local partners, Rescue South Africa, to answer this call," said USAID's Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) Southern Africa Advisor Harlan Hale.
"RSA has proven capability to provide immediate relief aid and, importantly, to partner with municipal and provincial disaster management authorities, as well as other agencies, who are leading flood relief and recovery efforts countrywide," Hale said.
Over a period of five years, USAID has supported RSA to gain international search and rescue training and the ability to train others in life-saving procedures following crises such as earthquakes, floods, trench rescue, swift water rescue, aircraft accident body recovery and numerous other skills.
"Every time Rescue South Africa gets involved in a major incident, USAID is one of the first organisations to support our relief efforts," said Ian Scher, Rescue South Africa CEO.
"There is no doubt in my mind that had it not been for their generosity over the last six years, we would not be the rescue organisation that we are."
