William Ntladi of Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) appeals to locals not to tamper with fire hydrants.
He requested the community to protect fire hydrants stationed in different parts of the community to be readily available for use in times of need.
This plea follows the tampering with fire hydrants within the community and surrounding areas, including the illegal use of this infrastructure.
“This is where firefighters get a sustainable water supply while fighting a fire. Water is not the responsibility of the fire department. The fire hydrant infrastructure is constructed and placed in specific areas due to risk assessments.
“We have two types of these hydrants. One is an underground fire hydrant and the other is pillar hydrants,” explained Ntladi.
He said firefighters could easily identify them because of their bright colours when approaching a scene, especially during the night.
“The use of hydrants is essential because we want water to sustain us while fighting a fire. Fire engines are quite small. For us to sustain the water supply on the scene, we depend on hydrants,” he said.
Challenges encountered
There are some challenges in terms of both types of fire hydrants. These include vandalism – either intentional or at times unintentional.
Ntladi said most people are not familiar with underground hydrants and that you would find the hydrants constructed next to a residential area.
“People plant grass and make flower beds over underground fire hydrants. It becomes difficult to identify these as they cannot be spotted. In some areas, people extend their perimeter fences towards the street, which puts the hydrant inside their premises and becomes a challenge to connect. The sooner we connect, the better our chances are to extinguish the blaze,” he said.
He reiterated that in some areas within Alberton, one would find some hydrants vandalized or blocked using paper, causing a complete delay.
Ntladi also warned against the illegal use of hydrants, such as washing one’s vehicle or watering their gardens using water from a hydrant.
