printer friendly version

Volunteer fire fighters equipped

Fire extinguisher manufacturer SafeQuip handed over another 20 fire extinguishers at the Catholic welfare and development offices last month, to fire fighting volunteers from Gugulethu, Philippi, Samora Michelle and Bishop Lavis townships.

This totals 40 volunteer fire fighters that have been equipped with fire extinguishers and trained in fire fighting, rescue and paraffin safety by the CWD since June 2011.

The volunteers underwent a four-day training course at the Ottery Fire Department and will each keep their own fire extinguisher at the ready to fight fires in their township when they occur. One thousand pamphlets printed in Xhosa and English outlining how to prevent fires from starting will be distributed to the township inhabitants by the volunteers when they introduce themselves as the first person to call when shack fires start.

The most recent SA fire statistics show that there were 376 deaths due to fire in 2009. 197 occurred in informal dwellings, formal dwellings accounted for 89 deaths, and car and motorcycle fires caused 56 deaths while fires in hospitals and nursing homes caused 12 deaths.

Ntsiki Dwangu, who runs the volunteer fire and rescue training programme for CWD in the Western Cape said “We are very grateful to SafeQuip for the fire extinguishers which will assist in preventing fires and deaths in the informal settlements.”

Armand Koortz of Safequip hands Ntsiki Dwangu one of 20 fire extinguishers

CWD provides crisis relief and prevention in townships, supplying blankets, clothing furniture, household goods and food to people who have lost their houses due to fire. Donations are urgently required and CWD can be contacted on +27 (0)21 4021108 or e-mail [email protected], www.cwd.org.za

Share this article:

Further reading: