Pulling together to fight Somerset West fires

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Gordons Bay remains on high alert to assist with the fires in Somerset West if necessary and commended the community for being “superb” in their support.

In a statement released by the NSRI on Friday, Alan Meiklejohn, NSRI Gordons Bay station commander described how the rescue volunteers were deployed to assist at the Somerset West fires since Wednesday evening.

Meiklejohn said the duty crew remained on alert to respond to sea rescue emergencies while the off-duty crew assembled to assist with the fires.

He said from about 8pm to midnight on Wednesday, they joined the SA Police Service, community services, the City of Cape Town Disaster Risk Management and Law Enforcement and assisted in transporting supplies from the drop off points to where they were needed by the Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, Working on Fire and Volunteer Wildfire Services crews fighting the fires.

He said that the Gordons Bay Security ambulance services and Western Cape Government Health Emergency Medical Services were also on hand to assist and that the community were “absolutely brilliant in their support”.

“Heyns de Waal of Gordons Bay Security and ambulance services and his team have been instrumental in their coordination and tirelessly pulling the community and emergency services together in cooperation,” said Meiklejohn.

At 9pm on Thursday evening, a NSRI Gordons Bay rescue team was assembled to respond to Lourensford Estate at the request of City of Cape Town Disaster Risk Management. He said the fire, at its worst, threatened residents on the estate.

Meiklejohn explained that Lourensford Estate had their own fire teams and an extensive evacuation plan for their employees and estate residents. He said the SA Police Services, City of Cape Town Disaster Risk Management, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, NSRI and community services were also on standby to assist.

He said no evacuation was required.

“A shift in the wind then sent the fire back on itself and it appears that Stellenbosch is now at most risk,” said Meiklejohn.

Thank you to our Gordon's Bay crew who have been deployed and assisting to fight the fires in Somerset West. https://t.co/5Xrtc4pNP5 pic.twitter.com/q3aXe2WpLw

— National Sea Rescue Institute (@NSRI) January 6, 2017

As NSRI Gordons Bay said they would remain on alert to assist if necessary, the Lowveld Fire Danger Index Map for Friday on the SA Weather Service website shows a warning for extremely dangerous fires in the Western Cape:

Lowveld Fire Danger Index Map. Picture: South African Weather Service website

Warning: 06 Jan: Extremely high fire danger conditions expected in Cape Metropole, and southern parts of the Cape Winelands of Western Cape.

— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) January 6, 2017

In the spirit of community, Uber South Africa is lending a hand to assist the firefighters who are lending their efforts to extinguish the Somerset West blazes in an #UberCOMMUNITY campaign.

In a bid to make donating non-perishable, ready-to-eat foods and liquid refreshments convenient for Cape Town residents, Uber drivers will collect donations from people’s doorsteps and deliver them to the Roeland Street Fire Station or Stand Fire Station for free on Friday until 3pm. 

The collection started at 10am on Friday.

And, we're live in CT! We'll be collecting non-perishable goods, ready-to-eat foods & liquid refreshments #UberCOMMUNITY pic.twitter.com/cVpJZrtDHa

— Uber South Africa (@Uber_RSA) January 6, 2017

Cape Town, let’s help those in need after this week’s fires between 10am – 3pm tomorrow! Details: https://t.co/HbyEnjjYYS #UberCOMMUNITY

— Uber South Africa (@Uber_RSA) January 5, 2017

Many have taken to social media to share their images of firefighters hard at work and the devastating fires raging:

Our thoughts & prayers are with our firefighters, volunteers & communities battling fires. – @Sullphotography #HelderbergFire #somersetwest pic.twitter.com/LgkHfBcm8e

— Love Cape Town (@lovecapetown) January 4, 2017

View from our house of devastating fires in #Helderberg #capetown @KFMza @CapeTown pic.twitter.com/m62bbD0FQW

— Ashanti Forssman (@AshantiForssman) January 3, 2017

Lack of management of invasive plants compound the fires in Somerset West. See » https://t.co/F27EkZ4MK3 pic.twitter.com/VGw1pJGugk

— Environmentza (@environmentza) January 6, 2017

The fires were still going strong in the mountains above @VergelegenWines, moving towards @Lourensford.
Not too windy today.#somersetwest pic.twitter.com/HPn7Opl2E6

— vuurtoring (@vuurtoring) January 5, 2017

https://twitter.com/daedalus_brae/status/816748285532717059

Among the many emotive images of the fires and firefighters and volunteers that people have been circulating on social media is an image of a firefighter rescuing a dog. This image, however, is apparently not one of the Western Cape firefighters. According to the Good Things Guy, the firefighter is actually from the Largo Fire Rescue in Florida, USA and the photo was taken on March 4, 2014.

The image is posted below:

OMG – how absolutely amazing is this ! Firefighters are really one of a kind ! #SomersetWest #Fires #CapeTown #capefire #hero pic.twitter.com/cxWxwEp00n

— Nikki Munsie (@NikkiMunsie) January 4, 2017

– Caxton News Service

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