The City of Cape Town (COCT) is confident that it is ready to tackle the fire season that is fast approaching.
Annually the COCT responds to thousands of calls from residents who are severely affected by residential fires that leaves several destitute.
Speaking on VOC Breakfast, COCT Fire and Rescue spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said more than 200 on-duty firefighters across its 32 fire stations have been deployed this fire season.
“From December to April we had the busiest seasons in terms of vegetation fires, during the winter season we saw a spike in informal fires which resulted in several fatalities. We are working tirelessly to ensure that people are fire wise heading into the fire season, “ he added.
Carelse further stressed that the reduction in loadshedding led to several residents opting to us gas, which could be a potential fire hazard.
“Residents should be reminded that a fire can start at any given time, you just must know what to do when it does happen to you. It is important to educate your family so that everyone knows what to do should they be a victim of a residential blaze,” he added.
Carelse advised that should a fire occur, residents should close windows to mitigate the risk of smoke or embers entering the home; damp down their garden if there is an immediate threat to their property, but most importantly, to abide by any evacuation instructions from emergency personnel.
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC News
Photo: VOCfm
