Instilling comfort & confidence

Meet Kerrishma Smit, a respected Call Taker and Dispatcher in Weskus Distrik’s Disaster Management team. Kerrishma talks about his purpose, what he enjoys, and stresses of the job.

Your purpose?
Our team provides residents and visitors with the comfort that if they encounter a disaster or emergency, they’re in good hands. The consolidation of Provincial Traffic and SAPS into our node has lifted overall responses in the region, building new confidence.

How have you grown over these last two years?
I’ve gained leadership and problem-solving skills in high-pressure situations which need decisive action, and I’ve grown in several areas.

Policy understanding and implementation – Weskus Distrik excels in clean administration, and I’ve learned disaster management policies, been exposed to processes and procedures, and I understand the legislation and regulations governing disaster management, especially in emergency response coordination.

Risk Assessment & Mitigation – Assessing vulnerabilities in communities is an important learning. With this, understanding how to mitigate risks before disasters occur.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
Engaging with our community. Public awareness, community involvement and educating people about disaster preparedness and responsiveness is rewarding.

What stresses you the most?
Handling life-and-death situations is stressful – you must be decisive and accurate. Juggling multiple calls as a Call Taker but staying focused as you manage communication between the various services is not easy either. One is always aware that your actions and decisions can directly impact the outcome of an emergency.

You have good support?
Yes, we do. Mr Franquin Petersen gives us guidance about managing stress and coaches us on how to handle complex situations, and improve our decision-making. He gives us feedback about our performance, helps to resolve issues, and always encourages us.