ISSUES plaguing the City of Johannesburg’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) rage on like a wildfire as firefighters continue to vent their frustrations about reportedly working without essential equipment.
Firefighters believe urgent intervention is needed following the tragic death of two firefighters in May and the stoning of a firefighter and fire engine by an angry community on August 6.
Firefighters at Kibler Park and other Johannesburg stations say the shortage of fire engines is proving to be a large obstacle prohibiting them from doing their work effectively. Reports that the City’s EMS is under crisis, and that the City refuses to acknowledge this, has been widely circulated.
The message distributed among firefighters and forwarded to a COURIER reporter by a Kibler Park firefighter read: “Comrades, did someone see the tragedy of Orange Farm where five children burned? It was all over the news. Even policemen burned trying to save those children. This is because of no fire engines.”
“It wouldn’t be proper to say the fire wouldn’t have happened if there were engines,” said Johannesburg EMS spokesperson, Robert Mulaudzi.
Mulaudzi indicated that the fire engines are being serviced. “No, we don’t have a shortage we have aging engines so now they are at workshops. It’s the stations in the informal settlements that have shortages, they are the hardest hit. The fire stations in the city aren’t as busy.” He did however state there is a plan of progress in place to add more fire engines at Johannesburg stations as many vehicles have been out of order.
“Despite their grievances, it’s unacceptable for communities to burn fire engines. That fire engine is supposed to help communities so burning it hampers service,” he said.
According to Mulaudzi there is a budget which the City has used to purchase six new fire engines. EMS will reportedly use this budget to replace other EMS vehicles, equipment and technology.
