Emergency Management Services’ media liaison officer, Robert Mulaudzi has confirmed programmes which will be running throughout the year promoting issues of safety, specifically this winter.
Mulaudzi said EMS will be continuing with the Smoke Detector programme for the old age homes.
This is another initiative from the City of Johannesburg which started in 2013 in Orange Farm.
“It aims to proactively respond to fire incidences in old age homes which result in a number of deaths which could have been avoided if these centres were equipped with early warning systems.
“Most elderly people are no longer able to move swiftly during an emergency situation, some take medication which leads to drowsiness and it becomes a challenge in a fire or emergency situation,” he said.
About 148 old age homes have been identified from Region A to G.
Mulaudzi said: “We’ve got a number of outreach programmes which will focus on door-to-door initiatives plus informing and educating the public to heed safety measures at all times.”
