Cape Town - The City’s Fire and Rescue Services Unit unveiled an impressive fleet of new firefighting appliances and equipment at the Epping fire station on Wednesday afternoon.
The new fleet featured 19 brand new trucks, 2 specialised technical vehicles, and 17 specialised water tenders, said to have cost the City’s Safety and Security Directorate R81 million to acquire.
Speaking at the launch of the new fleet, Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith said the fire trucks would go on to add value to the current capacity of the Fire and Rescue Service fleet and would allow the unit to respond to the increasing requests for assistance with fires and other related emergencies.
“Our firemen and women work in dangerous environments when called on to extinguish fires. They need the best equipment to assist those in need, to protect lives, property and infrastructure.”
“These vehicles, enabled with the latest technology and fitted with a wide range of rescue devices and equipment, further enhance the capabilities of current rescue teams and will to allow them to access mountainous terrain and improve their response time.”
“The City’s Fire Service often assists neighbouring municipalities when requested. The investment in these vehicles is an investment in the safety of our residents and the natural and built environment,” said Smith.
Chief fire officer Ian Schnetler said: “We are extremely privileged and grateful to have the support of the community and City of Cape Town and to have the funds to acquire these units. We are also extremely grateful for the manufacturers who have made it possible for us to have these vehicles.”
All of the new vehicles in the fleet come fully equipped with off-road capabilities, advanced drive trains to allow for accessing difficult terrain, water storage capacity, and some of the trucks also have foam tanks on board for extinguishing chemical fires.
The fleet also has the latest technology which allows the operator to control the foam or water cannons from within the vehicle while in transit, or from a remote console.
During the handover ceremony, Smith also recognised four women who were actively involved in the sourcing of donations and support for firefighters when the Rhodes Memorial fire broke out several months ago.
Twenty-four-year-old Nicole Booysen, Jade Fransina, Victoria Gmur and Trusha Makan each received a certificate from the City recognising their work, sourcing support for firefighters during the fire.
“When the fire started, I didn’t think twice about going out and helping to source donations for the firefighters. Recognition for what we did was so unexpected, I was so surprised when they called me. Giving my time and support during the fire was second nature to me,” said 30-year-old Trusha Makan.
