The City’s firefighters deal with very dangerous situations daily, and their tasks can often be exacerbated by the hot weather conditions that Cape Town is currently experiencing.

City of Cape Town Executive Mayor, Alderman Patricia de Lille, visited the Khayelitsha Fire Station recently to personally thank the staff for their outstanding work in responding to structural fires and wildfire.

“The Khayelitsha Fire Station is one of the busiest in the metropole. The depot responds to an average of over 80 fire incidents per month. This figure rises exponentially during heat waves, such as the one we are currently experiencing, which are characterised by a high volume of fire incidents. Since January 2012 the station has responded to 108 fires.

Many of these are resolved without fatalities because our Fire and Rescue Services are well-equipped and trained to deal with fires,” remarked de Lille.
“The City has over the last four years invested close to R200 million in the City’s Fire and Rescue Services which has enabled us to meet the international baseline for responding to emergencies and substantially reduce fatalities from fire incidents in informal settlements.”

In December, the City distributed a total of 1 000 fire extinguishers, funded by the Mayoral Special Projects Fund, to households in Langa Zone 30, 31 and 32. More fire extinguishers will be distributed to other communities that are prone to fires once the City has measured the effectiveness of the pilot project.

The City has 30 fire stations which are open 24 hours a day, and seasonal firefighters are employed to enhance capacity during high risk periods.

De Lille ended her visit by saying, “The City is doing its utmost best to safeguard all communities. However, our efforts alone will never be enough to prevent fires. I urge all residents to take responsibility for fire safety where they live and work.”

Resident should heed fire warnings and apply the fire safe practices below:

What to do if there is a fire

• Have the 107 emergency number written down near your landline, and saved as 021 480 7700 on your cellphone. Report any fires as soon as possible on this number and provide an accurate address of the fire. 
•  Have an adequate and safe exit route (more than one if possible) out of your home – also consider the house’s security applications and don’t let these delay you. Know where the keys are.
• Keep a bucket of water or sand nearby in case a fire does accidently start, or use the garden hose. Even better, have a fire extinguisher available in your home, office and motor vehicle (choose a brand approved by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) and check them regularly to ensure that they are in working order).

How to keep your home safe from fires

• Regularly maintain electrical appliances (use only SABS-approved items) and electrical services to prevent overloading or short-circuiting.
• Don’t overload electrical plugs or connections as they may overheat and catch fire.
• Use your heating, cooking or lighting devices safely – use on a stable platform and not near flammable substances of any kind.
• Put out or switch off all heating, cooking, candles and lighting devices in your home before going to sleep or leaving the area.
• If you live in an informal settlement your home (shack) must have a safe distance of at least three metres between it and the next unit to prevent a fire from spreading.
• If you live on or near the urban fringe areas your home will have a greater wildfire risk.
• If your house has a thatched roof – treat it regularly for fire protection and install lightning conductors.
• Take out adequate insurance to cover the building and your possessions.
• Fire-wise your garden and reduce overgrowth and vegetation in and around your property by cutting and trimming on a regular basis to avoid fire spread.
• Minimise areas where combustible vegetation or other material accumulates.
• Avoid slash and burn or bush clearing activities during the high-risk days – a specific burning permit or authorization is required by fire safety regulations.
• Maintain adequate firebreaks between homes and nearby vegetation to protect your property.
• Keep matches, lighters, paraffin and poisonous substances out of the reach of children and ensure that children are always supervised and never left alone.
• Use safety caps on all poisonous or flammable substances containers.
• Keep access to fire hydrants clear and available, and provide for emergency services access.

Rules to follow when making a fire away from home

• Only make braais or recreational fires in safe and designated areas and completely extinguish them immediately after use – never leave them unattended.
• No fires are allowed on the mountain fringe or urban edge areas except in specifically demarcated and pre-authorised areas.

Be aware that it is illegal to

• Burn any rubbish, rubber tyres or copper wire – such practices need to be reported immediately to the emergency contact numbers 107 or 021 480 7700.
• Toss a burning cigarette butt from a vehicle, or anywhere else.
• Sell distribute and discharge fireworks without a valid permit.

For more information on fires, preventing fires and how to survive them visit the Fire and Rescue Service website, and the Disaster Risk Management website.