WoF ready for fire season
Working on Fire (WoF) in partnership with the Provincial Disaster Management and the Mpumalanga Umbrella Fire Protection Association had a launch at the Disaster Management Centre.
Mbombela -The launch to mark the start of winter, which was characterized by wild fires that destroyed the livelihood of many people was held at Disaster Management Centre recently.
WoF general manager, Mr Martin Bolton, stated that it was fully prepared for this year’s fire season. “Last year we suppressed 521 fires which destroyed our properties, infrastructure and forestry. We have 655 firefighters trained to fight fire. They are stationed at 21 bases across the province with a percentage of 21 female beneficiaries.
We have also raised awareness throughout the province and engaged with landowners by doing firebreaks as well,” said Bolton.
Attending the launch was the MEC for community safety, security and liaison, Mr Vusi Shongwe who praised WoF for showing its readiness by displaying discipline and being organised.
“Discipline gives all of us hope. Indeed, as Mpumalanga, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Sitting in a building of this magnitude gives me hope. I don’t need to bring traffic officers, police or even security agencies because I am in a meeting with people that are organised and perfect,” said Shongwe.
He added that the fundamentals of effective fire-risk management were very similar to managing safety and security. “Awareness to ensure that one identifies the risk and puts into place effective mitigation plans. Prevention that will implement practices that will minimise fire danger and risk.
Readiness by getting landowners and tactical teams trained and fit to effectively fight and maintain the required firefighting equipment and detection warnings when fires occur, as well as getting the public to report fires.” He said reaction was important, as getting equipment and fire teams to the scene to extinguish such fires at an early stage was paramount.
Rehabilitation plans should be ready for when all preventative and rapid reaction systems failed to ensure that damage to the environment and communities are remedied as soon as possible to prevent further degradations.
Various stakeholders attended the launch such as the executive mayor of Gert Sibande, Cllr Peter Nhlabathi who also pleaded with landowners to engage and take stringent measures for fire protection as The National Veld and Forest Fires Act 101 of 1998 stipulated.
Watch: Working on Fire. Fire Fighters drilling for MEC Vusi Shongwe
View Gallaries of the launch:
