RESIDENTS of this squatter camp will now be able to tackle fires in their area.
On Friday, 1 March the Tshwane Emergency Services Department, together with the Fire Services Directorate of the Gauteng Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), installed 500 smoke detector alarms at Plastic View informal settlement in Tshwane.
According to Tshwane Emergency Services spokesman deputy Chief Charles Mabaso, the pilot project is sponsored by Santam.
Mabaso said 113 firefighting students from the City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department Training Academy, as well as their instructors and disaster risk management officials, worked closely with officials from different emergency services and CoGTA to install the detectors across the informal settlement.
"The beneficiaries were also informed not to smoke cigarettes or make open fires inside their homes to avoid triggering the detector's alarm. The Emergency Services Department will continue to empower the community by means of fire and life safety awareness campaigns," said Mabaso.
The beneficiaries were taught about ways to escape from their houses if the detector was activated. They were urged to call the toll-free 107 emergency number when they experience fire.
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"We thank Santam for sponsoring this project, which will contribute immensely to disaster risk reduction. We are also grateful to Santam for contributing water, soft drinks and energy drinks for the officials who installed the detectors," he said.
Resident of Plastic View Thabo Mabena said he lost three mkhukhus due to fire since 2020.
"We hope that the detectors will be useful. My shack has burnt to ashes three times already, and I have been losing my belongings every time. We are grateful for what these people have done." he said.
Ward 91 councillor Henning Viljoen thanked everyone for organizing an improvement project for the community.
"Good information to the community is what will make the project a success," he said.
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