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7 June 2024
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CoJEMS PIER and CoJEMS embarked on a door-to-door Winter Safety Campaign in Joubert Park, Johannesburg
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The City of Johannesburg Public Information Education and Relations (PIER) and the City of Johannesburg Emergency Services (CoJEMS), together with other stakeholders within the City and outside the city, embarked on a door-to-door Winter Safety Campaign in Joubert Park, Johannesburg, on Tuesday, 4 June 2024, The purpose of the awareness was to educate the communities about the risk of fires and causes of fires; how to proactively remove things that can cause fires and how to prevent fires. The following possible causes of fire were talked about:
Disaster management spoke about volunteering and how to be proactive on preventing incidents and assisting when they occur.
The park where awareness took place it was based on the fact that there had been lot of fires in the Inner City, especially at high-rise buildings. It was also because of the statistics that were given by Gauteng Department of Health Forensic Medical services in terms of number of burns they attend to, from inner city and surrounding areas.
The programme went well and in attendance was runner up of Miss Teen Global, who spoke on how drug abuse also leads to fires and encouraging young people to get involved on preventing fires.
Mr Wilson from Orange Farm spoke about his experience of getting burned while saving a boy from a burning shack. He emphasised the importance of not leaving children alone in the house. He also spoke about not leaving children to look after other children as this is a recipe for fire.
The following stakeholders were part of the awareness
Burnsides was also at event. The event was well attended and it was well received by the communities.
There is a roll out plan where other high fire risk areas are going to be targeted. The PIER unit is responsible for educating communities on fire safety, adequate precautions, processes and measures that should be taken to control and prevent fire incidents. They use interactive educational programmes that include creation of awareness, readiness and practical safety exercises to educate Johannesburg communities.
Fire safety education is critical for staying composed and responding properly during a fire incident. This assists in decreasing risks, harm, and damage to property. Most of fire incidents arise due to various unattended fire appliances, illegal electricity connections and stoves. Informal settlements dwellers are mostly affected during this time.
Several townships will be visited during the campaign. These include Alexandra, Zandspruit, Kya Sands, Thabo Mbeki Informal Settlement, Booysens, Vukani Informal Settlements and George Goch (Please see attached schedule).
EMS duty is to ensure that residents of Johannesburg are educated and provided with necessary services to prevent unnecessary deaths and loss of property. In most instances fire incidents can be prevented if electrical appliances are used with caution.
The campaign is aimed at educating the residents of Johannesburg about the dangers of neglecting the undermentioned items:
1. Lighting and heating appliances. Household appliances must comply with the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS), neglecting these regulations and requirements lead to fire incidents.
2. Candles should be used with caution and put out after use.
3. Cooking on open fire may lead to incidents, if not properly managed and extinguished.
4. Stoves are often used in confined spaces that contain highly flammable materials, resulting in inhalation of toxic smoke, which can result in loss of life.
5. Illegal electricity connections should always be avoided.
Residents are encouraged to visit the 29 EMS Fire Stations located in 7 Regions of the City of Johannesburg.
The EMS Be Safe centres provide basic firefighting and first aid training at no cost.
EMS advises the residents to immediately call EMS in cases of emergences. EMS can be reached on the following numbers (011) 375 5911 or toll-free number 10177 or 112.
Furthermore, residents are encouraged to acquire smoke and heat alarms and strategically place these around the house. The alarms should be tested regularly to ensure that they are still operating. It is also advised that households should have a fire escape plan and must practice this plan.
Source: Divisional Chief Synock Matobako, City of Johannesburg EMS
- Candles that are not put off when leaving the house
- Candles that are not place on proper candle holders and also place on unstable surface
- Not turning of gas off from the source of supply and only turning off on the stove
- Illegal connection of electricity
- Vandalism of infrastructures of City Power and Egoli Gas
Disaster management spoke about volunteering and how to be proactive on preventing incidents and assisting when they occur.
The park where awareness took place it was based on the fact that there had been lot of fires in the Inner City, especially at high-rise buildings. It was also because of the statistics that were given by Gauteng Department of Health Forensic Medical services in terms of number of burns they attend to, from inner city and surrounding areas.
The programme went well and in attendance was runner up of Miss Teen Global, who spoke on how drug abuse also leads to fires and encouraging young people to get involved on preventing fires.
Mr Wilson from Orange Farm spoke about his experience of getting burned while saving a boy from a burning shack. He emphasised the importance of not leaving children alone in the house. He also spoke about not leaving children to look after other children as this is a recipe for fire.
The following stakeholders were part of the awareness
- City of Johannesburg EMS
- City of Johannesburg Disaster Management
- Gauteng Provincal Disaster Management
- City Power
- Egoli Gas
- LPG
- Online Mzanzi radio station
Burnsides was also at event. The event was well attended and it was well received by the communities.
There is a roll out plan where other high fire risk areas are going to be targeted. The PIER unit is responsible for educating communities on fire safety, adequate precautions, processes and measures that should be taken to control and prevent fire incidents. They use interactive educational programmes that include creation of awareness, readiness and practical safety exercises to educate Johannesburg communities.
Fire safety education is critical for staying composed and responding properly during a fire incident. This assists in decreasing risks, harm, and damage to property. Most of fire incidents arise due to various unattended fire appliances, illegal electricity connections and stoves. Informal settlements dwellers are mostly affected during this time.
Several townships will be visited during the campaign. These include Alexandra, Zandspruit, Kya Sands, Thabo Mbeki Informal Settlement, Booysens, Vukani Informal Settlements and George Goch (Please see attached schedule).
EMS duty is to ensure that residents of Johannesburg are educated and provided with necessary services to prevent unnecessary deaths and loss of property. In most instances fire incidents can be prevented if electrical appliances are used with caution.
The campaign is aimed at educating the residents of Johannesburg about the dangers of neglecting the undermentioned items:
1. Lighting and heating appliances. Household appliances must comply with the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS), neglecting these regulations and requirements lead to fire incidents.
2. Candles should be used with caution and put out after use.
3. Cooking on open fire may lead to incidents, if not properly managed and extinguished.
4. Stoves are often used in confined spaces that contain highly flammable materials, resulting in inhalation of toxic smoke, which can result in loss of life.
5. Illegal electricity connections should always be avoided.
Residents are encouraged to visit the 29 EMS Fire Stations located in 7 Regions of the City of Johannesburg.
The EMS Be Safe centres provide basic firefighting and first aid training at no cost.
EMS advises the residents to immediately call EMS in cases of emergences. EMS can be reached on the following numbers (011) 375 5911 or toll-free number 10177 or 112.
Furthermore, residents are encouraged to acquire smoke and heat alarms and strategically place these around the house. The alarms should be tested regularly to ensure that they are still operating. It is also advised that households should have a fire escape plan and must practice this plan.
Source: Divisional Chief Synock Matobako, City of Johannesburg EMS
