Cape Town: The Safety and Security Directorate of City of Cape Town investing heavily in the Fire & Rescue Service again, to ensure that they are ready to deal with fires and vegetation fires in particular, this summer.
Reportedly, in Cape Town vegetation fires take centre stage during the warmer months. The review report of the incidents over the four-month period between October and January shows a steady increase in the number of vegetation fires over the past three years.
Total 5,331 incidents were recorded in the year 2021-22. The next year it increased to 6,024 and last summer the number increased to 7,190.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Safety and Security – Alderman JP Smith recalled December 2023 when vast tracts of the land in the south peninsula burnt and kept firefighters on the frontlines for more than a week.
As per Smith, it was a mammoth effort and a true test of the systems and the relationship of the City of Cape Town with other firefighting entities. he and his team really hope for an easier ride this time but that have to be prepared, so that they can continue delivering a world class service to the residents.
Furthermore, the Fire & Rescue Service team has an operational fleet of more than 200 vehicles that includes 73 fire appliances, 27 water tenders, 4 heavy technical rescue units, 10 aerial appliances and 7 water craft. The service contracts additional aerial resources every year between December and April.
There are several measures in place to bolster the firefighting capacity that includes a crop of specially trained wildland firefighters that are employed on fixed term contracts. It also adds ongoing relationships with the Table Mountain National Park and Volunteer Wildfire Services.
The Cape Town firefighters also signed the Mutual Aid agreements with some neighbouring District Municipalities for major incidents that require assistance. The use of drones and the Eye in the Sky is another measure that help in directing firefighting efforts, especially where the terrain is inaccessible.
Fire & Rescue Service Management is rolling out a new strategy in 2024 that is based on a review of incident data from previous seasons. It has resulted in a new strategy that involved ‘strike teams’ and will use smaller 4×4 response vehicles to respond to the incidents in rugged terrain.
Notably, the special response units will be deployed to specific fire stations for quick mobilisation in the event of a fire.
Alderman Smith added that they are throwing everything but the kitchen sink at the fire readiness programme, as they need the same energy from the residents. It keeps on repeating that fire safety is everyone’s business.
He cautioned all to consider their actions at all times, whether making a braai fire or how they put out their cigarette. If they spot any sign of fire, they need to report it immediately.
Also, if they spot anyone behaving in a suspicious manner, especially the mountain areas, they have to report it. Even if it turns out to be a false alarm, the time and fuel spent to check it out is still a smaller price to pay than days on the frontlines. It battles to suppress a fire fuelled by the damaging southeaster that is a part and parcel of the summer.