The GOOD Party has raised alarm over the City of Cape Town’s neglect of firefighting services, warning that it endangers both the lives of residents and the firefighters on the front lines, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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City of Cape Town Councillor Roscoe Palm, mentioned in a recent press release that whistleblowers reported that over 100 firefighters have left for better opportunities or retirement, leaving critical gaps with no replacements.
Cape Town’s summer brings soaring temperatures and strong winds, ideal conditions for devastating fires.
‘In some stations, we are down to skeleton crews, with resources so limited that only a water tanker or bush tender can be deployed.’
‘This bare-bones staffing leaves our firefighters overextended, and the situation is worsened by the loss of experienced personnel,’ said Palm.
The City’s Mayco member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, has responded to Palm’s comment in a statement to Cape {town} Etc.
Smith says that Fire & Rescue Service currently has 19 vacancies.
‘Fire & Rescue Service currently has 19 vacancies, according to the latest Safety & Security Portfolio Committee report.
‘This turnover is due to staff retiring, moving to other posts or the private sector, and some leaving South Africa for lucrative job opportunities in the Middle East.
‘The City of Cape Town’s Fire service trains and certifies our staff to international standards, making them desirable for the Middle East and elsewhere,’ adds Smith.
Palm adds that bush tenders and auxiliary vehicles lack essential equipment, such as breathing apparatus for house fires. Firefighters must wait for additional trucks before attempting rescues of those trapped inside.
Palm notes that Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue department is understaffed and under-equipped.
‘Of the four new ladder trucks purchased by the City of Cape Town, only one is on run at any stage.’
‘The City has neither the expertise nor the manpower to run all four simultaneously. Each one costs around R20 million.’
‘Meanwhile, three of the four fire engines procured by the City two years ago stand unmanned at the training centre.’
‘Each one cost R6.5 million. This is a problem that endangers the poor and the rich alike,’ adds Palm.
In his response, Smith says that additional firefighters will be deployed for the festive season.
‘It should be noted that for the summer season, we will have an additional 96 seasonal firefighters and our aerial support as of the 1st of December.
‘In addition, the City has heavily invested in its Fire and Rescue Service.
‘Cape Town has 32 fire stations – Sir Lowry’s Pass and Kommetjie Road were the latest to open their doors in 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Work is expected to start on a 33rd fire station in Langa soon,’ said Smith.
Firefighters recently tackled the season’s first major blaze in Malibongwe, Du Noon and Palm mentions that, ‘navigating informal settlements to battle fires requires not only skill and experience but also teamwork and bravery.’
‘Wealthy areas like Constantia are served only by poorly equipped, undermanned bush tenders, forcing residents to wait for fire engines from distant locations like Goodwood, risking property and lives.
‘Some days, no medical rescue vehicles are available to handle emergencies, including traffic accidents,’ Palm adds.
Smith, however, asserts that fire stations have at least 240 firefighters on operational duty.
‘Daily, fire stations have at least 240 firefighters on operational duty, excluding the Incident Management Teams on standby for major incidents.
‘The Fire & Rescue Service has an operational fleet of more than 200 vehicles, including 73 fire appliances, 27 water tenders, four heavy technical rescue units, 10 aerial appliances, and seven watercraft.
‘There is no doubt that we have the best-equipped fire service in the country if not the continent.
‘However, this does not mean that we are satisfied with its state of resources,’ adds Smith.
In response to medical rescue vehicles, Smith says firefighting is the core responsibility, so each station must keep at least one fire engine operational.
‘It still is the responsibility of provincial Metro EMS to provide medical care to patients, despite the City’s willingness to step in wherever we can help,’ said Smith.
Palm states that MMC JP Smith’s neglect is pushing firefighters to the brink.
‘MMC Smith is asking fewer firefighters to take on more responsibility, stretching them to the brink.’
‘While Cape Town is rightly proud of extraordinary firefighters like Baigum Abrahams, recently crowned the toughest woman firefighter in the country, they cannot shoulder this burden alone.’
Palm stresses that firefighters need full support and resources from the City, not more pressure.
‘The City must urgently explain how it has allowed this situation to deteriorate and why these issues have been kept hidden from public view for so long.’
‘Capetonians deserve to know what immediate plans the City has to address these staffing shortages, restore leadership to our stations, and prevent the disastrous consequences that could result from another neglected fire season.’
The GOOD Party will conduct oversight visits to every fire station in Cape Town, adding that the party refuses to let the city burn while JP Smith ignores the issue.
Smith has in his statement, assured City residents that their safety is in the right hands.
‘Cape Town has by far the best-capacitated and best-resourced fire and rescue service in South Africa – by a very large margin.
‘The City of Cape Town can boast as many as 32 major pumpers on run on any given day.
‘In comparison, other metros can only run a fraction of that, and in most cases, civil society and the private sector have taken over the responsibility.’
Smith also commented on Palm’s statement as a whole, stating, ‘Palm’s exaggerated view of the Fire response capacity exposes his lack of knowledge about Fire and Rescue.
‘His ignorance is however dangerous when it informs the possible decision-making of others based on his lack of knowledge.’
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Picture: CapeNature
