Firefighters have all the right equipment

The invitation to visit the station came after local firefighters were accused of using mutton cloth to cover their faces on the scene of a fire in Western Extension recently. The eyewitness who made the comment said the firefighters appeared, in general, ill-prepared and ill-equipped for the task.

Ready to serve the public in any emergency are Donavan Litchfield (left, shift manager), William Ntladi (DEMS spokesperson) and Ezekiel Mapena (station manager), on site at the Farrarmere Fire Station.

William Ntladi, the district manager media liaison of Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services, recently invited the City Times to the Farrarmere Fire Station to see first-hand the safety gear issued to firefighters.

Shift manager Donavan Litchfield explained the use of the various pieces of safety gear and how these items protect firefighters during an incident.

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Ntladi said the safety of firefighters and those they serve is critical and that is why every firefighter is issued with world-class safety equipment. This includes:

•A jacket made up of three layer (the outer layer is fire resistant, the middle layer helps with moisture and to keep the heat out and the inner layer is used to keep firefighters cool when in a fire situation or keep them warm during cold weather)

•Safety-regulated boots with steel caps to prevent injury if something heavy falls on their feet

•Internationally accredited helmets that protect the entire face and part of the chest.

•Flash hood masks to cover the ears, neck and face, only leaving the eyes exposed

•Two pairs of gloves, one for fire and the others, rescue gloves, which are used on the scene of car accidents, for example

•A torch to assist with lighting in dark areas.

“We urge residents to give our firefighters room to do their job when they arrive on scene and not intervene by asking questions at that time,” said Ntladi.

“Once the fire is under control, the incident commander on scene will answer questions.”

He further advised residents to refrain from negative comments on scene as these discourage the firefighters.

Firefighters are also given training on how to be pre-hospital practitioners in order to preserve life.

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