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NDMC holds National Fire Safety and Prevention Seminar - By Dr Bongani Elias Sithole
By Dr Bongani Elias Sithole, Head of the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC), South Africa
The Ninth National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) Annual Fire Safety and Prevention Strategy was successfully conducted on 22 to 23 February 2024, at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre.
The seminar hosted approximately 270 delegates which included amongst other: chief fire officers, senior managers from across all spheres of government, representatives of the private sector, disaster management officials, fire safety and prevention officers, Transnet, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), fire protection associations, Fire Protection Association of South Africa (FPASA), Santam, the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Stadio Multiversity as exhibitors. The NDMC seminar was hosted in the City of Ekurhuleni, within the Gauteng Province, under the wellchosen theme drawn from the Fire Services White Paper Vision for Fire Services: “A fire service that is proactive in preventing fires and other risks rather than simply reacting to fires.”
The seminar took place at a time when South Africa, like the rest of the world have been experiencing extreme wildfires in several Provinces. Discussions ate the seminar was geared towards better understanding the risks posed by volatile climate conditions and how to successfully mitigate these risks, to protect the communities that we serve.
The seminar also reflected upon the devastating building fires in the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, where seventy-seven people were killed and eighty-eight others were injured.
It also paid considerable consideration to the informal settlement fires which continues to wreak havoc in our communities throughout the country.
Although the seminar started in the shadow of these catastrophic wildland fires and structural fires, it ended with a strong message of hope in the shape of a set of clear resolutions supported by a Draft Fire Services Strategy, towards developing a framework for action towards 2030.
These weather-related incidents intensified our obligation to define a road map for the future and to establish a clear framework for action to identify and reduce fire risk and to ensure resilient communities.
The seminar brought together practitioners in fire safety and prevention from both within and outside fire services from across South Africa, contributing towards the ongoing process of repositioning Fire Services in the country.
In line with the Fire Services White Paper the NDMC encourages fire safety goal setting for the safety of our people, though the involvement of communities, private/public organisations, NGOs and local authorities and making them an integral part of those goals whilst at the same time making them more aware of their responsibilities to organise and maintain fire safety.
One of the key messages expressed at the Seminar, called for the improvement of existing public-privatepartnership, which was adopted as one of the resolutions and strongly underscored by the Fire Services White Paper calling for the involvement of communities, private/public organisations, NGOs and local authorities and making them an integral part of fire safety and prevention planning.
Key focus areas of the 2024 Ninth Annual Fire Safety and Prevention SeminarThe topics of discussion covered by presenters at the seminar included, amongst other:
The Fire Services Vision 2030 Strategy
Importance of public-privatepartnerships, insurance sector, NGOs etc
The State of Local Government and the impact on the delivery of Fire Services in the country
Fire safety capacity building in municipalities
Transportation of dangerous goods
Challenges experienced with implementation of MHI regulations
Incident management systems in major incidents
Revenue generation and sustainability in fire services
Fire protection association support and Working on Fire contract implementation
Comprehensive approach to rail industrial fire safety: From prevention to response
Equipping communities in the informal settlements with fire prevention knowledge
Innovative technologies to be applied within the Fire Services sector (drones, GIS fire services tools, etc)
Key resolutions taken at the seminarThrough the seminar we were able to draw on and learn important lessons that will assist us to roll-out Fire Services support with better coordination and a focus on integrated projects with stakeholders that focus on building capacity within Fire Services as a driver to address the challenges faced by Fire Services. As a result of our deliberations and discussions at the Seminar we have made the following commitments as a collective:
To pursue a more integrated approach towards the strengthening of integrated management fire risk
To adopt a more expansive format as a future model for unpacking issues of Fire Services; the concept of a National Fire Services Indaba was adopted
To work with provinces and municipalities to improve the Fire Services assessment and data management Tool
To have a further look the gaps in current legislation, and issue regulations in closing those gaps and strengthening the delivery of Fire Services
To build on the momentum of this seminar to accelerate implementation of the reviewed Fire Services Legislation
That provinces conduct individual annual Fire Safety Seminars, thereby ensuring that fire safety and prevention remains at the centre of our priorities and policies.
