The tragic death of two firemen on 17 May has triggered an avalanche of allegations about the sordid state of Johannesburg’s Emergency Management Services (EMS).
The Record reported in 2004 on many of exactly the same challenges.
A seasoned firemen from the West Rand spoke exclusively to the Record on condition of anonymity. According to him there are a myriad of factors that has lead to the implosion and breakdown of this essential service.
According to him the following has contributed to the situation:
• Incompetence of both firefighters and management. He alleges that some firemen has “bought” their certificates and many in management positions have no experience and never served as firemen.
• That the service started deteriorating when Roodepoort amalgamated with the City of Johannesburg.
• Roodepoort station on Christiaan de Wet Road has only one working fire truck and one ambulance which do not comply with Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). It also has only one smaller fire truck which it shares with other stations. Trucks go in for repairs for long periods of time and often returns in a worst state.
• Occasions where one fire truck had to serve as far afield as the Northern suburbs.
• A shortage of manpower. A few years ago there were 26 firemen on a shift whereas now there are only eight to nine.
• Canteen at station has been closed and toilets are not working.
• General equipment such as face masks and breathing apparatus tanks are damaged and in huge demand.
• Firemen have to provide their own cleaning equipment.
• No danger pay.
• No trauma counselling.
• On various occasions firemen had to use garden hoses to put out fires and trucks are often ill equipped with ladders and other essential equipment. Hydrants are damaged and in some cases underground hydrants have been tarred and paved over.
• When EMS is called out to informal settlements their lives are in danger due to criminal element. Incidents where ambulances were robbed.
•Many skilled firemen are leaving the service due to these challenges opting to work for private emergency services.
• He also supplied the Record with photos of firemen sleeping in trucks while on duty and of firemen wearing their protective gear incorrectly.
The source said many firemen only work for a salary and has no passion for the job. He said the morale in general were low and that he is also planning to leave the EMS.
“If things do not change more firemen and more civilians are going to die,” he concluded on an ominous note.
The Record is currently awaiting comment from EMS media liaison officer Robert Mulaudzi.
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