Fire and Rescue International Vol 3 No 11

Strap

Integrated fire, rescue, EMS and incident command technology

Volume 3 No 11

Contents 2 Comment Competition 3 FRI Images

National Fire Safety and Prevention Seminar 2016 4 National Fire Safety and Prevention Seminar 2016 held in Durban, South Africa

Ambulance infection control 48 Ambulance infection control: understanding and applying it Source: SAPAESA Fire protection association 49 Cape Winelands Fire Protection Association

News 8 Cape Winelands Fire Services’ 2015 passing-out parade 9 Mountain Medicine Workshop

Leadership 53 Fire fighter code of ethics by Wayne Bailey

International Fire Fighter’s Day 2016 10 Overberg District Municipality launches BESAFE Expo to coincide with International Fire Fighter’s Day

What’s on?

55 Fire, disaster and rescue related events across the globe

News 12 Emergency response equipment donated to Western Cape Disaster Management Centre 13 FLIR thermal imaging to be integrated into new DJI Zenmuse XT stabilised camera 14 Ekurhuleni launches Fire and Rescue Operation Learnership Programme

Poem 56 Paramedics – Poem submitted by Etienne Putter of South African Emergency Care (SAEC)

Heritage 54 The Staff of Asclepius

Working on Fire 16 Early childhood development

Structural shoring 20 Structural shoring Part 2: Horizontal and lateral shoring

by Colin Deiner High-rise fires 28 Fires in high-rise buildings – Elevators

by Ian Schnetler Rescue roundup 31 Earthquakes: guidelines on preparing and responding by Neville van Rensburg and Julius Fleischman

37

Fire station planning principles 35 Fire station planning principles: A new attendance time standard for community-centric fire response by Previn D Govender Your story 37 Meet Andrè Oosthuysen, company commander at City of Tshwane Fire Brigade Services Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) 40 Ekurhuleni boosts its CERT teams Remembering Westdene, 27 March 1985 43 31 Years since the Westdene bus disaster

Nozzle tactics 47 Some thoughts on nozzles by Dale Jenkins Volume 3 | No 11

43 FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 1

Comment Editor Lee Raath-Brownie lee@fireandrescue.co Cell 082 371 0190 Journalist Claudette van Rensburg edit@fireandrescue.co Cell 071 641 3884 Advertising advertising@fireandrescue.co Cell 079 107 3967 Design and layout Marc Raath marc@fireandrescue.co

Our 35th issue of Fire and Rescue International (FRI) offers some great practical advice and is filled with news, reviews, events and applied know-how. Have fun reading it!

National Fire Safety and Prevention Seminar 2016 The third annual National Fire Safety and Prevention Seminar took place in Durban on 3 and 4 March 2016. The seminar, which offered highly informative presentations, allowed for a number of interactive discussions, some of which ended in heated debate.

Lee Raath-Brownie

International Fire Fighter’s Day 2016 and BESAFE Expo Traditionally commemorated on 4 May internationally, International Fire Fighter’s Day will be observed by the Western Cape Province in Bredasdorp this year on 5 to 7 May 2016, hosted by the Overberg District Municipality. The BESAFE Expo will form part of the event, which will include several industry meetings, competitions and fun for the whole family. Join Fire and Rescue International at this worthy event.

In the news The news section features Cape Winelands passing out parade, the upcoming Mountain Medicine Workshop, emergency equipment donations, Ekurhuleni’s learnership programme and the upcoming Securex and A-OSH Expo 2016.

Digital newsletter Pierre du Plessis

Structural shoring In this second part of Colin Deiner’s structural shoring article, he discusses horizontal and lateral shoring, providing detailed sketches of the relevant raker shores and components, design principles, placement and load bearing qualities. Deiner also looks at mechanical shores and its advantages.

Finance Vicki Jacob accounts@fireandrescue.co

High-rise fires: elevators Ian Schnetler’s series of articles on fires in high-rise buildings looks at the use of elevators by the fire service during a fire, providing guidelines for operation and crew safety.

Circulation Vicki Jacob subs@fireandrescue.co Secretary Vicki Jacob pa@fireandrescue.co

Rescue roundup Neville van Rensburg and Julius Fleischman provide guidelines on preparing and responding to earthquakes, discussing medical first response, search and rescue operations, safety and health resources, management of the deceased and procedures for entering a collapsed structure.

Fire station planning principles Previn Govender provides research-based insight into planning principles for fire stations.

In this first of a five series article, Govender looks at the new attendance time standard for community-centric fire response, detailing the need for fire stations and the public’s expectations. Additionally, he describes a key risk model and planning drivers.

Administration Mirriam Moroane

Your story A new addition to our regular line-up, we profile a serviceman and bring you his story and career path, providing some personal and professional insight into what makes him tick. Our first ‘Your story’ profile is Andrè Oosthuysen.

Contributions

Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) We profile Ekurhuleni Emergency Management Services’ CERT programme, looking at the benefits of the CERT system, roles in the community, training and implementation.

USA Wayne Bailey Dale Jenkins Africa Colin Deiner Ian Schnetler Neville van Rensburg Julius Fleischman Previn Govender Sandra du Rand Malcolm Midgley Elia Venter Jenny Santiago Etienne Putter Publisher Lee Raath-Brownie FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL Tel 011 452 3135/6 Fax 086 671 6920 Box 8299 Greenstone 1616 www.fireandrescue.co 2 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

Remembering Westdene, 27 March 1985 A notable incident in the history of South Africa’s emergency services is the 1985 Westdene bus disaster. We spoke to Malcolm Midgley, responder and two of the survivors, providing some insight into this incident that change many, many lives, affecting all those that were involved.

Nozzle tactics Also new to our magazine is Dale Jenkins of the Houston Fire Department in the USA, who shares his thoughts on nozzle tactics.

Fire protection association We feature Cape Winelands Fire Protection Association, providing insight into its management structure, history, challenges, statistics and success stories.

A warm thank you to all our contributors, readers and advertisers for their support. Fire and Rescue International is your magazine. Read it, use it and share it!

Lee Raath-Brownie Publisher

Subscriptions 12 editions per annum South Africa R325 per annum incl VAT Non-subscribers: R35 incl VAT per issue

Southern Africa (airmail) R520 per annum International (airmail) R695 per annum Copyright All rights reserved

Proudly serving those who serve Volume 3 | No 9

Images Strap

Congratulations to Nerisha Ray Singh for her photograph ‘Clarity’ taken with a Canon EOS 70D with Canon EF 75-300mm lens, a shutter speed of 1/100 of a second, ISO 100 and an aperture 16 F-stop

Photo description: A look of clarity before the start of the individual challenge at SAESI 2015

Nerisha Ray Singh wins this month’s prize money of R 2 000!

Well done!

This month’s FRI images winner!

Submit your rescue, fire or EMS photo and win R2 000!

Fire and Rescue International’s (FRI) monthly photographic competition is open to all its readers and offers you the opportunity of submitting your digital images of fires, fire fighters, disasters, emergencies and rescues.

The rules are simple: • •

•

•

•

• • •

All photographs submitted must be in jpeg format and not bigger than 4 megabytes.

Photographs must be in high resolution (minimum 1500 pixels on the longest edge @ 300dpi) for publishing purposes Allowed: cropping, curves, levels, colour saturation, contrast, brightness, sharpening but the faithful representation of a natural form, behaviour or phenomenon must be maintained.

Not allowed: cloning, merging/photo stitching, layering of two photos into one final frame, special effects digital filters.

Fire and Rescue International (FRI) reserves the right to publish (printed or digitally) submitted photographs with acknowledgement to the photographer.

Winners will be chosen on the merit of their photograph.

The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into afterwards.

Brief description should accompany photo.

Volume 3 | No 11

Entries must include:

Name of photographer Contact details (not for publishing) Email: (not for publishing) Name of photograph Brief description of photograph including type of fire Camera, lens and settings used

All entries must be emailed to: lee@fireandrescue.co

>>ENTER NOW! FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 3

Strap Fire Safety and Prevention Seminar 2016 National

National Fire Safety and Prevention Seminar 2016 held in Durban, South Africa

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he Department of Cooperative Governance in conjunction with the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) hosted its Third Annual National Fire Safety and Prevention Seminar on 3 and 4 March in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN). The two-day seminar provided a platform for an interactive discussion amongst fire safety and prevention practitioners.

After the traditional reading by Alex Gloster of the Fireman’s Prayer, training manager of eThekwini Fire and Emergency Services, Jonty Ndlazi, acting head of the Kwa-Zulu Natal Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) opened the conference, highlighting the current drought and water shortage in the province.

Lloyd Phetlhu, manager: Fire Services Coordination at the Department of Cooperative Governance, provided an overview of the seminar and workshops after which Moses Khangale, senior manager: Fire Services Coordination, discussed the key fire safety and prevention issues that need to be prioritised, adding that a 10 to 15 point plan will be determined after the presentations and discussion sessions were concluded.

Khangale said that resource allocation currently isn’t following risk reduction. “We need to gradually move resources towards fire protection,” said Khangale. He made 4 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

Attendees and speakers at the 2016 National Fire Safety and Prevention seminar mention of the project between the NDMC and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) that will focus on complex fire risk profiling. “If we don’t know what the risk is, how can we reduce incidents. We cannot afford to operate in silos. Our objectives are all the same.” added Khangale.

Enock Mchunu, acting chief fire officer at City of eThekwini Fire and Emergency Services provided an overview of fire safety in KwaZulu-Natal, reporting that during the fire and rescue status capacity assessment conducted by the Provincial Disaster Management Centre’s Technical Task Team for Fire Services in 2014 and again in 2015, it was discovered that most municipalities in the province lack the capacity to effectively deal with fire and emergency incidents. “Only three of the approximately 60 municipalities in the province have fire by-laws,” said Mchunu. He concluded with a recommendation for mutual support matrix and commendations to the PDMC, saying “Political buy-in is critical but we also need to do our homework.”

During the discussion session, Khangale reminded all that it was just him and Lloyd Phetlhu in Fire Services Coordination, adding the various challenges faced by the department, which included six changes in ministers in the last five years. He reiterated that Phetlhu and he were not operational

but rather building capacity according to their mandate.

Sasol Group Services’s senior specialist: supply chain emergency response, Johan van Wyk, reviewed the recent emergency simulation exercise that took place on the West Rand, Gauteng, on 28 October 2015 wherein a lack of equipment to respond to a hazardous material incident (hazmat) was cited. Van Wyk also paid attention to a number of major hazmat incidents including the solid cyanide incident in Heidelberg and the mining explosives that were detonated in February 2014 in Limpopo, adding a number of fatal hazmat crash scenes and highlighting the factors and critical control methods that can contribute towards preparedness.

David Poxon, general manager of the Fire Protection Association of Southern Africa (FPASA), presented the key issues relating to a fire safety risk assessment for residential care facilities. Poxon provided sobering statistics on not only the monetary cost of fires but also fire related fatalities. He explained the five-step risk assessment method, providing examples of evacuation strategies advising responders to re-think travel distances due the fragility of the evacuees. “Children and the elderly are difficult to work with,” said Poxon.

Rodney Eksteen, assistant director for Volume 3 | No 11

National Fire Safety and Prevention Seminar 2016

Jonty Ndlazi

Moses Khangale

Lloyd Phetlhu

Western Cape Fire Services, provided background to the use of smoke alarms: why, where and which. Eksteen said that fire death statistics were largely under reported citing a number of alarming statistic trends. He also detailed the recently launched smoke alarm installation pilot project in Cape Town.

provided insight into the roles and responsibilities of local authorities with regards to major hazard installations (MHI), furnishing guiding principles on strategic interventions, which may be implemented by law enforcement in collaboration with DOL to ensure compliance with legislation. Mkhwanazi decribed the Bhopal disaster, which occurred on 2 December 1984 in India, where a plant pesticide plant released methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas, resulting in the exposure of over 500 000 people.

The official immediate death toll was 2 259 and the government of Madhya Pradesh confirmed a total of 3 787 deaths related to the gas release. She detailed the strategic interventions of eThekwini through the formation of its MHI committee.

Part T, Fire Protection. He said, “It is clear that a rational design is a process of reasoning and calculation, that it may use other standards or documents and that it may be shown that it affords the same level of safety as would have been possible had the deemed-to-satisfy rules been used. It is, however, a requirement that the design must be able to demonstrate or predict to the local authority’s satisfaction that the desired outcomes are achieved.” He added, “Local authorities need to arrange sessions of this nature and address all issues that are not clear in the National Building Regulations. The Fire Brigade Services Act needs to be reviewed, so that we may be able to enforce the regulations without necessarily being challenged by the private sector.”

FPASA’s David Poxon discussed rational design principles, saying that at its most superficial level, it is recommended that a fire engineered project should comprise of the following three stages ie qualitative design review (QDR), quantitative analysis and assessment against criteria. Poxon provided case studies and detailed the application of British Standard BS 7974:200 fire safety engineering principles to the design of buildings, adding that it provides a basis for selecting appropriate fire protection systems, a disciplined design approach and allows for comparison of safety levels for alternate design.

Working on Fire’s Hennie Homan presented an overview of the services offered by Working on Fire, detailing the criteria relating to integrated fire management. “We have conducted numerous field trials to develop best operating procedures,” said Homan.

He reviewed some of the field trials including spiral aerial ignition using the Raindance aerial ignition system to obtain a high-intensity prescribed burn and the use of open-ended firebreaks in the Kruger National Park.

City of eThekwini’s fire safety officer, Piet Venter, discussed the ‘Transportation of dangerous goods by road and the application of legislation and regulations. Venter provided an overview of the current legislation and regulations governing the transportation of dangerous goods and outlined the issuing of transport permits for flammables. He furthermore explained how it is managed in eThekwini, saying that the system is outdated and currently under review.

Himanth Seeparsad, acting fire safety manager for the City of eThekwini Fire and Rescue Service, detailed the storage, usage and handling of dangerous goods, covering two of the most common classes ie Class 2, gases (flammable, non-flammable, toxic) and Class 3, flammable liquids.

Seeparsad detailed the categories and classification criteria of flammable liquids and provided a brief overview of the registration process involving dangerous goods in eThekwini, saying, “We have reviewed the by-laws and expect the new by-laws to be made available soon.”

Kwadukuza Fire and Rescue’s chief fire officer, Nonhlanhla Mkhwanazi 6 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

Lucky Potelo, divisional chief of fire safety at the City of Johannesburg Emergency Services, reviewed the National Building Regulations, SANS 10400, focussing on

The role of traditional leadership in fire prevention and risk reduction was examined by Xolani Blose, chief fire officer at Umlalazi Local Municipality.

Blose said that traditional leaders’ areas of cooperation in Umlalazi include firebreaks, awareness campaigns, Volume 3 | No 11

National Fire Safety and Prevention Seminar 2016 fire volunteers recruitment and training, compliance enforcement (by-laws), reporting of incidents and the dissemination of early warnings.

His recommendations included capacity building programmes conducted to traditional leadership institutions to enhance their role in fire safety programmes adding that traditional leadership institutions must be rigorously involved in development of risk reduction plans and should play a vital role in promoting disaster management awareness campaigns.

Moses Khangale detailed the NDMC’s recently launched ‘Safer stoves’ campaign, which kicked off in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni and will be rolled out throughout the country. “We need buy-in from the communities in order for this to be successful,” said Khangale. He also overviewed some of the proactive fire safety campaigns and measures by the NDMC including donation and strategic placement of 18 000-litre water tankers by some of the petro chemical companies for use in water-scarce areas.

Petrus Brits, senior manager: codes, fire safety at City of Ekurhuleni Emergency Management Services provided an insightful presentation on a career path for fire safety personnel in the municipal environment. Brits detailed the fire safety courses available in South Africa, saying that there was limited National Qualifications Framework (NQF)-aligned tertiary education available for the fire services. He added, “Metropolitan areas have staff available to specialise in specific disciplines in the fire safety section where there are some municipalities that don’t even have a fire safety section. We need to realise that no fire service in South Africa is a mirror image of each other.

Volume 3 | No 11

Ken terry

Tanja Terblanche

A mind set needs to take place at top management level in fire services to move towards prevention, protection and education instead of response.” He also debated the defunct Fire Brigade Board, calling for a professional body representing the fire service, adding that perhaps the new Fire Brigade Services Act will address this shortcoming via the route of a professional body.

between legal and illegal paraffin stoves, adding the NRCS has the power to prosecute those who break the law.

Harry Nyalungu, principal inspector at the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS), provided an interesting overview of the functions of the NRCS and explained the reasoning and methodology behind the regulation of paraffin stoves in South Africa. “The contribution of faulty and illegal paraffin appliances to fire incidents cannot be ignored since this leaves the dwellers stranded and devastated as a result of injuries, loss of property and loss of lives,” said Nyalungu.

He provided examples of pressurised and non-pressurised paraffin stoves, highlighting the safety markings and citing the differences

Ken Terry, head of the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) said in closing that the Fire Safety and Prevention seminars were initiated three years ago in order to grow the fire safety and prevention sectors. He said that due to severe cuts that budgets are constrained and therefore building working relationships is important. Terry added that the new Bill is proposed to assist with fire safety issues and prompt attendees to actively participate in the consultations regarding the new Bill. “Let’s make legislation work for us,” concluded Terry.

Fire and Rescue International will provide indepth articles on certain of the topics presented at the seminar in future editions in order to disseminate the information throughout the fire services and respective agencies as the seminar highlighted key short comings and provided practical recommendations and solutions.

FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 7

News

Cape Winelands Fire Services’ 2015 passing-out parade

The class of 2015

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he Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM) was proud to present the fire services’ passing-out parade for the class of 2015 on 2 December 2015 in Stellenbosch situated in the Western Cape, South Africa. The twenty-five students who qualified, hail from the municipalities of Overstrand, Langeberg, Stellenbosch, Oudtshoorn, Breede Valley and Cape Winelands as well as Eskom.

Mayor Neels de Bruyn presenting CFO Danie Wilds with a certificate and trophy for 40 years of service

The students enrolled for the Fire Fighter 1 course at the Cape Winelands Fire and Rescue Training Academy in order to obtain their NFPA 1001 qualification, which consists of three courses, namely Fire Fighter 1, Hazmat Awareness and First Aid Level 3. The South African Emergency Services Institute (SAESI) accepts this international standard as the South African level of competence to perform as a professional fire fighter.

The demanding course ran from 24 August to 2 December 2015. Fire Fighter 1 is a twelve-week commitment that tests each learner physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

The daily programme started promptly at 8h00 and ended at 17h00, with learners undergoing rigorous training exercises on a daily basis.

Inspection done by CFO Danie Wilds with executive mayor, Alderman Neels de Bruyn and municipal manager M Mgajo 8 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

The Cape Winelands Fire Services pride themselves as dedicated members of the fire service fraternity and are committed to actively seek ways to improve their standards and to maintain the legacy and positive traditions of those who worked hard to make fire fighting a noble and humble career and a lifestyle.

Volume 3 | No 11

Strap News

Mountain Medicine Workshop

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he Mountain Club of South Africa and Wilderness Search and Rescue in conjunction with members of the International Committee for Alpine Rescue Medical Commission will be presenting a Mountain Medicine Workshop on 2 May 2016 at the Mountain Club of South Africa (MCSA) Clubhouse on 97 Hatfield Street, Gardens, Cape Town, from 9h00 to 16h00.

The following topics are set to be discussed: • Intermittent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): realistic in South Africa (SA)?

• Can we take advanced life support (ALS) to the hills?

• How do I pack a portable intensive care unit (ICU)?

• Improvisation with regards to medical equipment.

Ideas and suggestions.

• Is the Rule of Rescue relevant in SA? • How good/bad are helicopters?

• Do we need a SA mountain accident registry?

• Why not privatise Wilderness Search and Rescue (SAR)?

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) checklist: any place on the hill?

• How do I manage? An open question and answer forum.

• Did you hear about that one? Case histories.

• Rescuer of the Year! Is it ethical?

• Can we immobilise the spine better?

• What are the important myths and common mishaps?

Participants are required to register online via the Mountain Medicine Workshop by means of the registration form tab. The cost of the workshop is R200 per participant with limited places of up to a maximum of 150 participants.

Refreshments will be provided and participants are encouraged to bring questions and a rescue to present, for example an interesting case, a special problem, a good outcome, a novel technique, etcetera.

Visit www.mcsacapetown.co.za/home for more information.

Heinrich Louw, regional commander: training and development and CFO Danie Wilds with students W de Vlam, best team leader; K Stevens, best team member; N Smit, student of the course; U Mrongwana, most disciplined and J Hendricks, best theoretical student

Volume 3 | No 11

FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 9

International Fire Fighter’s Day 2016

Overberg District Municipality

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launches BESAFE Expo to coincide with International Fire Fighter’s Day

nternational Fire Fighter’s Day (IFFD) is traditionally observed on 4 May. It was instituted after a proposal emailed out across the world on 4 January 1999 due to the deaths of five fire fighters in tragic circumstances in a wildfire in Australia in December 1998. 4 May used to be a traditional Fire Fighters’ Day in many European countries because it is the day of Saint Florian, patron saint of fire fighters. St Florian, a commander of a fire fighting squad in the Roman Empire and the patron saint of fire fighters, lost his life and those of his colleagues in fire fighting service to the public.

The Western Cape will commemorate IFFD 2016 in Bredasdorp this year.

Overberg District Municipality Fire, Rescue and Disaster Management has launched the BESAFE Expo to coincide withthecommemorationofInternational Fire Fighters Day 2016. The BESAFE Expo will be held from 5 to 7 May 2016 at Mega Park in the picturesque town of Bredasdorp, which is situated in the Southern Overberg region of the Western Cape, South Africa and the main economic and service hub of the region. The exhibition will be open from 9h00 to 17h00 on Thursday, 5 May and Friday, 6 May and from 8h00 to 16h00 on Saturday, 7 May 2016. BESAFE is an acronym for Basic Emergency Safety And Fire Education.

The expo, brainchild of the Overberg Fire, Rescue and Disaster Management, will bring together the regional emergency services fraternity, with numerous industry events, workshops and meetings taking place of the three days. The event will also form a focal point offering the public insight to the intricacies, dangers and commitment of the fire fighting, rescue and emergency medicine organisations, while proactively creating an educational platform for generating awareness of how fires affect lives on a daily basis. A number of fire safety awareness campaigns, exhibitions 10 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

and demonstrations will provide the main stream public, youth and school children with practical information, tools and equipment gearing them up for a fire safe environment.

The participating fire services to date include Overstrand Fire and Rescue, City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue, Stellenbosch Fire Department, Breede Valley Fire Department and the South African Airforce. Other services and agencies partaking will include a number of ambulance services, fire protection associations (FPAs), the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), Metro Police, South African Correctional Services, Working on Fire (WoF), Advanced Fire Information System (AFIS), Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), Department of Health and Safety and the South African Police Service (SAPS), which will include the flying squad (10111), SAPS motorbike squad, SAPS mounted unit, SAPS mobile unit and the SAPS orchestra.

Other demonstrations will include K9 dog shows, vehicle extrication, high-angle rescues, fire attacks, squad drills and aerial fire fighting.

Breede Valley Fire Department will also launch the smoke alarm installation programme in order to reduce informal settlement fire fatalities in the province.

Workshops, events and industry meetings The programme will bring together a number of industry workshops and meetings, which will include the Provincial Fire Workgroup meeting, the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Greater Overberg FPA, Chief Fire Officer’s meeting and an extrication workshop presented by Neville van Rensburg, chairperson of the South Africa Medical Rescue Organisation.

Events will include the traditional emergency service vehicles parade

through town and ending at Mega Park. Other events: • International Fire Fighter’s Day Parade and celebrations • BESAFE 2,4km Challenge - Public versus Volunteer Wildfire Services members and team events • Inter-badge touch rugby (organised emergency and protection services) • International Fire Fighter Team Challenge • Advanced Fire Information System demonstration(AFIS) • School and youth programme including FireWise, Child Safe, Learn not to burn, Arrive Alive etc Programme to date Thursday, 5 May 2016 10h00 to 12h30 - Provincial Fire Workgroup meeting 18h30: Greater Overberg FPA AGM Friday, 6 May 2016 10h00 to 12h30 - Chief Fire Officer’s meeting 10h00 - Vehicle extrication workshop 19h00 - Mayoral Gala dinner Saturday, 7 May 2016 08h00 - Emergency service vehicles parade 09h00 - International Fire Fighter Day parade and celebrations 10h30 - International Fire Fighter Team Challenge 10h30 - BESAFE 2,4km Challenge Public vs Volunteer Wildfire Services members and team events 11h00 - Inter-badge touch rugby (Organised emergency and protection services) Food stalls, restaurants and live music will entertain young and old, industry and public; a great experience for the whole family!

For more information or to book a space as an exhibitor please visit the website: www.besafexpo.co.za Volume 3 | No 11

INTERNATIONAL FIREFIGHTERS DAY & BESAFE EXPO 5-7 MAY 2016

MEGA PARK, BREDASDORP

WWW.BESAFEXPO.CO.ZA

S E R V I C E S

CELEBRATIONS INCLUDE: Emergency Service Exhibitions & Demonstrations including Fire Fighting Aircraft Toughest Fire Fighter Challenge Demonstration Competition & BESAFE 2.4km Challenge Youth BESAFE Education Programme & activities for kids

B.E.S.A Basic Eme rgen Emergency

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News

Emergency response equipment donated to Western Cape Disaster Management Centre of sodium cyanide to customers in these neighbouring countries.

Emergency response equipment sponsored by Sasol

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nsuring offsite emergency response (ER) preparedness is one of the critical controls to mitigate the risks associated with the transportation of our products. Forming strategic alliances and strengthening networks with numerous ER stakeholders along the value chain is an important aspect of Sasol’s ER preparedness strategy.

One of the key elements of emergency response preparedness

is to ensure rapid and efficient response to road incidents, especially in remote locations.

To enhance the capabilities of emergency services from local authorities, Sasol has placed a number of hazmat trailers at strategic locations around Southern Africa. The fleet currently consists of eight mobile units on major routes in South Africa, with three trailers in Zimbabwe and one in Botswana, specifically related to the transport

Signing off of equipment between Sasol and Western Cape Disaster Management Centre 12 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

The most recent additions to our ER capacity include hazmat equipment that was donated to the Western Cape Disaster Management Centre (WCDMC) for placement along the N1 and N2 routes. Mobile response vehicles will be located at the Central Karoo District Municipality (Beaufort West) and at the Overberg District Municipality (Swellendam).

The WCDMC donated the vehicles and Sasol provided the ER equipment to handle incidents where dangerous goods are involved. Training on the use of specialised equipment is also provided to emergency services personnel in these areas.

“The areas that are benefitting are situated on strategic routes around the province, routes that are at risk of potential hazmat spillages.

Therefore, the donation is of huge value to prevent and address potential disaster situations should they arise,” said the Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell.

Location of the hazmat trailers

Volume 3 | No 11

News

FLIR thermal imaging to be integrated into new DJI Zenmuse XT stabilised camera

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LIR Systems Inc announced a new technology collaboration with drone industry leader DJI Innovations. Under the strategic arrangement, the companies also announced plans to develop their first joint product, the DJI Zenmuse XT stabilised camera featuring FLIR’s thermal imaging technology for DJI’s Inspire 1 and Matrice aerial platforms.

Combining DJI’s Zenmuse stabilised micro-gimbal technology, which has become a common platform for demanding aerial cinematography, with FLIR’s popular Tau 2 thermal imaging camera core, the Zenmuse XT will expand the possibilities for commercial drone operators and infrastructure inspectors. Using FLIR thermal imaging on small drones brings new capabilities to dozens of commercial applications, including search and rescue, fire fighting, agriculture, wildlife protection and the inspection of energy infrastructure, bridges and buildings.

The addition of thermal imaging provides users the ability to see in complete darkness, measure temperature remotely and see through obscurants like smoke, dust and light fog. Zenmuse XT users will have the unique ability to see minute temperature variances, normally invisible to the

FLIR K23 ad_180x130.indd Volume | No 11

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Thermal imaging provides users the ability to see in complete darkness, measure temperature remotely and see through obscurants like smoke, dust and light fog

10/02/16 14:53 | 13 FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

Strap News

Ekurhuleni launches Fire and Rescue Operation Learnership Programme

Ekurhuleni’s Training Academy Station Manager, Bongani Cyril Miya, with the first 50 candidates that form part of the Ekurhuleni Fire and Rescue Operations Learnership Programme

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he City of Ekurhuleni launched the Fire and Rescue Operations Learnership Programme on 12 February 2016 with the aim of empowering young people through quality education within the fire and rescue industry. The event was held at the Leon Ferreira Fire Station in Boksburg.

The first intake consisted of 50 prospective fire fighters who had to adhere to certain requirements such as passing mathematics or mathematic literacy at Grade 12 level as well as passing physical evaluations. Thereafter, these candidates were sworn into the 12-month programme

naked eye that can signify potential problems in buildings, detect the presence of people or animals and monitor the health of mechanical and electrical equipment remotely.

Its integration with DJI’s Lightbridge live video downlink system and the DJI GO app will also give drone operators real-time control and recording during flight.

“FLIR and DJI today support many of the same commercial applications,” said Andy Teich, president and CEO of FLIR. “FLIR is thrilled to work with DJI to deliver these customers a plug-and-play thermal imaging solution for DJI’s established ecosystem of unmanned aircraft and related apps while expanding our collective opportunities in the rapidly-growing commercial drone market.”

DJI’s popular Inspire 1 and Matrice airframes provide industry-leading aerial cinematography and development platforms. The same attributes that set these airframes apart for capturing stunning aerial video such as stable flight performance, predictable flight execution and 14 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

that will equip them with the necessary skills when seeking employment. The first intake of 50 candidates, between the ages of 18 to 35 years, will be followed by three additional intakes of 50 each, set to take place in June and December 2016 and January 2017. The candidates were selected from a pool of unemployed young people registered with the economic development department.

The physical examination to gain entry into the programme, consisted of climbing a 30-metre ladder, positioned at a 65 degree angle within one minute, hose dragging, running 2,4 kilometres in 12 minutes, crawling while blindfolded along the

seamless integration with the popular DJI Go app also make them ideal thermal imaging platforms.

“DJI’s collaboration with FLIR in thermal imaging signals our intent to innovate in sectors where technology can be a game-changer,” said DJI CEO Frank Wang. “The result will be joint, best-in-class solutions that are intuitive and easy to use.”

The Zenmuse XT will be available in early 2016 at both DJI and FLIR dealers.

FLIR’s advanced thermal imaging and threat detection systems are used for a wide variety of imaging, thermography and security applications, including airborne and groundbased surveillance, condition monitoring, research and development, manufacturing process control, search and rescue, drug interdiction, navigation, transportation safety, border and maritime patrol, environmental monitoring and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives (CBRNE) detection.

Volume 3 | No 11

Strap News

Mayor of the Ekurhuleni Municipality, Councillor Mondli Gungubele and community safety mayoral committee member (MMC), Vivienne Chauke

Councillor Mondli Gungubele with some of the candidates taking part in the Fire and Rescue Operations Learnership Programme

length of a fire hose as well as completing reps of 30 push-ups and sit-ups within a timeframe of one minute among other standard physical examinations. The programme will result in 200 unemployed youngsters being trained in the area of fire and rescue operation at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 4. The aim is to improve the chances of these individuals finding employment after obtaining a fire and rescue qualification that is accredited by the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC). However, it was emphasised that the aim is not for all candidates to be employed by the City of Ekurhuleni but rather to promote employability among these individuals.

very pleased with the learnership progress this far. This is a partnership to provide hope to young people who have lost hope and who are not employed.” Other dignitaries in attendance included, head of department (HoD) of disaster and emergency management services, Moshema Mosia, MMC for city planning and economic development, Thumbu Mahlangu and MMC for human settlements, Aubrey Nxumalo.

Gungubele concluded his keynote address, “In conclusion, I wish to make it clear that these are our humble steps to eradicate unemployment, poverty and inequality.”

The first six months of the programme consists of theoretical lessons on the standards of fire fighting set by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) unit whereas the remaining six months will focus on practical fire fighting and rescue training. Training is set to take place at various fire stations in Ekurhuleni. On completion, candidates will obtain foundational competencies in emergency service; fire fighting, rescue operations, victim care of the environment and the protection of property.

The activities at the official launch included the ceremonial hand-over of contracts and a drama performance, provided by Public Information Education Relations (PIER) members, various performances by the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) choir and a keynote address made by Mayor of Ekurhuleni, Councillor (Cllr) Mondli Gungubele. “The programme is anchored in three areas, namely skills development, job creation and economic empowerment,” said Cllr Gungubele.

Gungubele continued, “The City of Ekurhuleni is investing R14 million over the next two years in the programme. This will pay for students’ uniforms, learning material, training fees and stipends. The project we are launching is a continuation of the work, which began when we took office in 2011. At the time we promised to create a pool of 1 011 Peace Cops (10 per ward), about 600 fire fighting reserve force members and to bolster the emergency medical service (EMS) with additional personnel.”

Community safety mayoral committee member (MMC), Vivienne Chauke, added, “We, as the department, are Volume 3 | No 11

FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 15

Working on Fire

Early childhood development sharing some of the fire incidents that they experienced.

With the skills learned the educators will be able to conduct fire awareness themselves in their centres and also within their communities. This will also spread the message of fire awareness across the districts and the province at large.

Western Cape ECDC workshop participants

Eastern Cape ECDC workshop

W

orking on Fire has been rolling out several fire safe workshops with early childhood development (ECD) teachers across South Africa. The aim and purpose of these workshops was to educate and empower these teachers with knowledge to understand and identify fire risks in and around their schools. These teachers were also given knowledge on how they must conduct their own training in their different schools with their kids.

It is important from an early age to teach young kids about the dangers of playing with fires, which can lead to disasters and ultimately loss of lives. The workshops consisted of fire causes, impacts of fire, fire prevention, stop, drop and roll, crawl low under smoke and fire escape plan techniques training.

These early childhood development centre (ECDC) teachers were 16 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

all awarded with certificates attendance at these workshops.

of

Limpopo Province Educators from Limpopo at Mahwelereng Circuit in Waterberg District at Limpopo were honoured to be the first foundation phase educators to attend the Early Childhood Development workshop conducted by the fire awareness team from WoF. Foundation phase is one of the most important phases in the educational path of the children and it’s where the foundation of the future of the child is build. The objective of this workshop is to impact the educators with vital information about personal and fire safety so that they can implement what they learnt at their centres to make them safe and to identify risks and alleviate those risks. The workshop was successfully attended by 24 educators from various centres across Mokopane and they were fully participating while

Eastern Cape Province More than 40 educators from around the Eastern Cape were equipped with the fire safe techniques during the ECD workshop, which was presented by fire awareness training officer, Zola Hans and community fire awareness officer, Wongama Copiso. The workshop was held in Amalinda, East London, early in November. Zola Hans said that ECD workshop is done in order for the educators to learn fire escape skills and go back to their centres to implement what they have learnt from the workshop. ‘‘It is by means of practising fire drills and to make them understand fire escape plans and ensure that children understand those as well,’’ explained Hans. He added, “This is also to further demonstrate proper stop, drop and roll and crawl low under the smoke and to ensure that children are able to master it”.

One of the educators, Nobantu Bota, from the Vision Daycare Centre in Centane, thanked WoF for the fantastic workshop saying that the information that they got will aid them a lot at their pre-school centres and in their communities as well.

Western Cape Province WoF community fire awareness officer, Rayganah Rhoda and fire awareness assistant, Rudi Lucas, conducted a community awareness workshop for 22 ECD principals of the Bloekombos and Wallacedene communities in Kraaifontien. “It is important that we maintain a close working relationship with our various stakeholders especially our ECD workers as they can then go back to their schools and crèches and implement what they have learnt, by creating escape routes and fire drills to ensure that the children are made Volume 3 | No 11

Working on Fire aware of them and understand the dangers of fire,” said Rhoda.

In close working relations with community development workers (CDW) and various stakeholders, WoF takes pride in addressing the prevention and control of wildfires through the implementation of integrated fire management (IFM) practices, which includes fire awareness activities, prescribed burning, resource sharing and coordination, fire detection, fire suppression and fire damage rehabilitation.

Free State Province Twenty day care centre educators in Bloemfontein attended the early childhood development workshop facilities by the WoF’s fire awareness department in the Free State. The aim of the workshop was to train the teachers about personal safety. The educators will then implement what they learned to ensure their centres are safe from fires.

North West Province The North West conducted a personal safety and fire safe workshop with early childhood development educators at the Basupi Centre in Potchefstroom.

Educators also learnt how to identify risk and alleviate it, which will result them conducting awareness themselves or if they have a WoF base close to them they can build that relationship with each other for future awareness. One of the educators from the Tshireletso Day Care, Florina Neve, said, “I think this workshop is very important as it’s our first time attending this kind of workshop. I was not aware of some of the dangers and causes of fire as I have never taught my learners what they should do in case unexpected fire occur. Now I know how to react and I will implement many lessons I have learnt here at my day care and home too. I would really like to thank Working on Fire for such eye opening lessons, which will be very important to make sure our schools are much safer for the learners”, Neve concluded.

Gauteng Province An ecstatic 26-year-old Esther Sibanyoni, who was the youngest teacher to attend the early childhood development centre workshop, expressed her gratitude to WoF for having taught them the essentials to be fire safe in their Educare Centres.

Volume 3 | No 11

She is from the Peleng Day Care Centre in Soshanguve North of Tshwane. She said that a challenge to her is to go back to kids and implement the safety strategies. ‘‘I strongly believe that the workshop is beneficial to us and the kids at various day care centres. It has helped us put in place safety measures in our centres,’’ added Sibanyoni.

Mpumalanga Province More than 40 foundation phase educators attended the Early Childhood Development Fire Safe Workshop organised by WoF Mpumalanga at the Sigcinekile Pre-School in Dantjie location near Mbombela (Nelspruit) recently. The purpose of the workshop was to equip and train educators about personal safety and these preschool educators are expected to implement the knowledge back to their foundation phase learners.

The principal of Sigcinekile Preschool, Lucy Langa, said that it was a pleasure for them to get an opportunity to be trained by Working on Fire about fire safety. “We did not know how to identify risks in and around the

schools and how to escape when fire engulf the building“, said Langa.

She added that as they are teaching at a foundation phase it is important for them to educate learners about dangers of fire because kids are in an experimenting stage. Langa concluded that they will ensure that they implement all information they received during the training.

KwaZulu-Natal The Working on Fire KwaZulu-Natal hosted the early childhood development workshop with the teachers of Umzimkhulu under the Harry Gwala District Municipality. The main object of initiating this workshop was to create communities which are fire resilient through educating communities and schools using Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) aligned lesson plan.

Fire awareness training officer Khulani Zulu said, “The workshop was a great success, we targeted teachers in the foundation phase, there was participation from them and they invited us to visit their different schools.

Limpopo ECDC workshop participants

KwaZulu-Natal ECDC workshop participants

FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 17

News

Securex and A-OSH Expo 2016

C

o-located Securex 2016 and A-OSH Expo 2016 are both considered leading exhibitions in their respective categories in Africa.

Securex, launched 22 years ago has continued to gain acclaim as the ultimate forum for industry professionals to experience best practice in security and fire technology and services.

Similarly, A-OSH Expo, which is now entering its sixth year, has become the unrivalled forum for risk and occupational health and safety (OHS) specialists to interact with suppliers and manufacturers of safety equipment and OHS consulting and training services.

Held between 24 and 26 May 2016 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg, these exhibitions are a huge drawcard for visitors from a number of industries who are quick to recognise the convenience of accessing a wide offering of products and services under one roof.

Education plays a large role in the visitor offering and clearly complements the products and services showcased by the exhibitors.

Securex’s free-to-attend seminar theatre brings high-end content from a variety of knowledgeable industry speakers. Sharing information on the latest technology, trends and legislation, the seminar sessions rapidly bring visitors up to date with the critical information they need to assist in risk assessment and mitigation methodologies.

A-OSH EXPO will offer the ever popular free-to-attend The National Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Board (NOSHEBO) Seminar Theatre sponsored by Ansell, and Prefabricated Access Suppliers and Manufacturers Association (PASMA) Working at Height Theatres. As in the past few years, South African Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Saiosh) will also be running their comprehensive conference alongside A-OSH Expo.

18 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

An attraction, which was launched at both exhibitions last year, will be continued in 2016. The Business Matchmaking Programme, sponsored

by Ideco, sees visitors matched up with the most relevant exhibitors prior to the exhibition. This process provides visitors with the opportunity to schedule their appointments prior to the exhibitions and thereby allows them to maximise their exhibition experience.

demonstrations of equipment and assembly methods. There will be a variety of topics discussed, including the advantages of using towers, the various training courses available to assemble and use them and the product standards they are certified to. Geared towards anybody who works at height, the seminar provides a wealth of information on safe working practice,” said Low.

Other regular visitor attractions at Securex include the New Products Display, the full day, paid-for CPD accredited InFiRES Conference, which is once again run by the Fire Protection Association of South Africa (FPASA).

At last year’s event, such was the popularity of the NOSEHBO Seminar Theatre sessions sponsored by Ansell that there was often standing room only available. This year, delegates can look forward to talks by Tibor Szana from the Department of Labour on the Occupational Health and Safety (DoL, OHS) Bill and The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) discussion on standards for personal protective equipment (PPE), Vince Harmse explaining the client’s agent in construction and working at height guidelines, all on day one.

Securex is aligned with a number of industry bodies that include ASIS, Electronic Security Distributors Association (ESDA), Fire Fighting Equipment Traders’ Association (FFETA), FPASA, Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA), South African Institute of Stockbrokers (SAIS), SAIDSA, South African Society of Anaesthesiologists (SASA) and SIA. A-OSH EXPO 2016 enjoys the endorsement of a number of leading industry associations, including the Institute for Working at Height (IWH), Institute of Safety Management (IOSM), National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH), FPASA, National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH), PASMA, the Safety First Association, Southern African Institute for Occupational Hygiene (SAIOH), Southern African Protective Equipment Marketing Association (Sapema) and Saiosh.

A-Osh The exhibition presents the NOSHEBO Seminar Theatre (sponsored again this year by Ansell) and the PASMA Working at Height Theatre from 24 to 26 May 2016.

“The PASMA Working at Height Theatre will be conducted by leading industry specialists with collective decades’ of experience. The talks will include live

On 25 May 2016, the programme kicks off with the investigation of major incidents by the DoL, OHS design to specification by Leighton Bennett of BenRisk Consultants, Duane Basson of HSE discussing hearing protection, with the day ending with a talk on managing OHS and labour on the mines. Day three starts with occupational hygiene, continues with head protection guidelines and a final talk by Joep Joubert (president of IOSM) on a single professional registration authority for occupational safety practitioners.

Now in its sixth year, A-OSH Expo boasts a number of visitor attractions that make the show experience even more worthwhile. These include the comprehensive Saiosh conference and the Business Matchmaking Service sponsored by Ideco. The latter initiative allows visitors to be pre-matched with relevant exhibitors, whereby meetings are arranged in advance of the exhibition, thereby maximising the visitor’s time at A-OSH Expo 2016.

Volume 3 | No 11

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Structural shoring

Structural shoring Part 2: Horizontal and lateral shoring

By Colin Deiner, chief director, disaster management and fire brigade services, Western Cape Government

The purpose of raker shores is to support unstable walls, columns or other structural members of a building

A

ll types of structures can become compromised as a result of structural collapse. Un-reinforced masonry is a good example of a material that typically needs support. Acting against the forces of gravity is generally the simplest way to stabilise an unstable load. What if we have a structure unable to resist the forces of a lateral load? We then have to find a way to ensure that we stabilise this load and in so doing allow our rescuers to work in close proximity to it in a safe manner.

The purpose of raker shores is to support unstable walls, columns or other structural members of a building from the interior or exterior. These members may be out of plump, bulged, cracked or under pressure from collapsed debris.

Raker shores are specifically designed to prevent any further movement from these unstable elements by transferring the additional stresses generated by these elements, through the point of the rake to the floor. From the floor the load can be more safely distributed to other structural bearing members.

This is the second in a series of articles on structural collapse shoring. The first one, which was published in the Volume 3 no 4 edition of Fire Rescue International, focussed on vertical shoring. I will concentrate here specifically on raker shores and horizontal shores.

Horizontal shores are used primarily to support damaged or unstable walls in hallways, alleys, air shafts or other access ways. It can also be used between two unstable structures. Its main purpose would be to provide sustained access for ongoing search and rescue operations.

20 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

Volume 3 | No 11

Structural shoring How it all fits together Let’s remember the ‘double funnel’ principle. Quite simply, this requires us to look at shoring as a double funnel (See Fig 1). The top ‘funnel’ (header) needs to be broad enough to collect the load. A normal wood post would have the risk of punching through a concrete slab if it doesn’t have a sufficiently broad header. This load is then transferred to the load bearing posts (or struts) and then transferred to the bottom ‘funnel’ (or sole) where it will be distributed over the surface of the ground.

This is of course the perfect scenario. In a structural collapse situation you are dealing with an unstable load on an uneven surface and the possibility of lateral forces are very real. For these possibilities lateral bracing is required to prevent racking (parallelogram effect) or to prevent the system from buckling (sideways movement).

Because you are working with unknown forces and load weights, it is critical that your construction has a built-in warning system, which could give you a clear indication that failure is imminent. With a vertical shore construction, a post with a length to width ratio of 25 or less, the header or sole crushing against the post will be clearly audible prior to it failing.

In a vertical shoring situation it is relatively simple to work out which areas need stabilisation. In a situation where you have damaged and unstable walls, you will need to provide lateral support able to counteract approximately 10 percent of the weight of the building.

We now have to take the double funnel principle and move it ‘sideways’.

The fixed raker shore is more suited to rescue situations because it is a more solid unit and will be able to stand up to any forces applied to it. By tying all the structural elements together, it becomes more stable and is therefore able to deal with any possible secondary collapse risks or vibration from machinery.

Any construction of any shores must ideally be done outside of the collapse zone and only once the shore is completed, can it be moved into position. It therefore goes without saying that communication between the measuring team and construction team must be accurate.

The raker shores can be constructed at 45 degree to 60 degree angles. They are always installed in a series of at least two with a maximum separation of 2,5m and are braced together for additional stability. A single raker shore will not be able to absorb the stresses of an entire wall and therefore they must always be installed in series. At least two shores must be installed at the start of shoring operations in any given situation. By connecting all the shores together (lace-posting), you are creating a much more stable platform, which can more safely absorb the load intended to be supported by them. (Fig 3) Raker shore placement No two collapse situations are ever the same.

Obviously, having thorough knowledge of the types of

special risk fire protection

Raker shores There are three types of rakers; flying, split-sole and solidsole. Each type features a wall plate, a diagonal raker post and some type of sole plate. A solid-sole raker is generally used when the surface at the base of the wall (where it will be installed) is firm and clear of any obstructions. Split-sole raker shores will typically be used where you have a ground surface and need to ensure additional resistance to the lateral load and requires more timber. Both can be used on solid surface although only the split sole shore can be used on uncovered ground.

The flying raker (Fig 2) is a temporary shore used only until a more substantial set of rakers can be put in place. It can be constructed and installed quickly and buy you the necessary time to construct a more permanent set of rakers to be used for a prolonged operation.

You generally will encounter two styles of solid-sole raker shores out there; the friction style and fixed style.

Simply put, the friction style maintains its position by being constantly under pressure. This works for the construction industry but would not work in a structural collapse rescue environment due to the irregular nature of the rescue operation and the possibility of unanticipated movement of loads subjected to cutting and breaking.

Volume 3 | No 11

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FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 21

Structural shoring wall to lose its entire structural integrity. Trying to support such walls may serve no purpose.

SUPPORT LOAD

COLLECT LOAD

DISTRIBUTE LOAD

Figure 1: Double funnel

structures in your district will give you some idea of what you might encounter in a structural collapse emergency and help you to plan the types of shoring you will need and the sizes of timber to achieve this.

Your shoring size-up will include several considerations.

The type of construction will help you in determining the size of material to use. Light frame construction will not pose many problems and you should get away with using 100mm x 100mm timbers to construct your shores.

As buildings get larger and their walls are constructed from brick and concrete, I would recommend not going lower than 150mm x 150mm. It would not always be possible to decide beforehand what the size of the timber is that you might need for a particular collapse.

Timber larger than 150mm x 150mm are not readily available and are more labour intensive to work with.

You might need to source specialised timber yards that are able to provide it. You might also need some mechanical construction equipment to move large timbers around.

The severity of the damage to the structure will dictate the level of shoring required. You firstly have to determine if the structure is safe enough to conduct any rescue work and if anyone actually would have survived the collapse.

If it is indeed viable to conduct rescue operations in the structure, you need to then focus on the affected wall areas. Check their structural integrity. Is the wall out of plump? Are there any cracks or bulges? And most importantly, how much of the remaining structure is being supported by the wall you are considering. Depending on the severity of the collapse, the forces applied to the wall may cause numerous and extensive cracks causing the 22 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

As with any rescue operation an important question to address is what caused the collapse? If it occurred due to forces of nature ie winds and earthquakes, care should be taken to ensure that these conditions are still not prevailing. In an earthquake situation, major aftershocks could still occur for several days after the initial quake.

Buildings that have fallen into disrepair and collapsed for that reason may have the risk of further collapse due to the entire structure suffering from the same neglect.

Always consider the possibility of secondary collapse and plan for these eventualities.

The ground stability will also play a major role in determining what shore will be needed. A built-up industrial area will most likely be the most viable for solid-sole rakers while a suburban environment will possibly require a split-sole raker.

The height of the wall will dictate the height at which the rake will intersect the wall and which angle will be the best. It will further indicate whether your available timber will be sufficient for the job.

Raker shore components Because we have to stabilise a lateral load and transfer the forces onto the ground surface, we need to view the materials needed to achieve this differently. The main components of the solid-sole and flying raker shore are roughly the same and consist of the following: Wall plate: This component collects the weight being transferred and spreads it throughout the shoring system.

I strongly believe that the minimum timber size that should be used should be 150mm by 150mm (6’ x 6’). The wall

No. 1

plate can be backed up by 50mm timber or plywood to Figure 2: Flying raker Volume 3 | No 11

Structural shoring member. It is mostly used in on open ground in suburban and rural environments.

Bottom cleat: Is used on a solid sole raker and is a short piece of 5cm or 2 inch timber that is nailed to the rear of the sole plate to keep the raker from riding back on the sole plate. A gap the width of the wedges is left between the bottom cleat and the raker to later pressurise the shore. Similar to the top cleat, a 60cm or 2 foot cleat is used for 45 degrees rakers and for 60 degrees rakers.

Figure 3: Laced post raker shore widen the surface contact area, if needed.

Top cleat: This is a short length of (approximately) 50mm timber that is nailed to the top of the wall plate to keep the raker from riding up the wall plate. The tip of the raker will be in full contact with the bottom of the top cleat when complete.

Sole plate: On a solid sole raker, the sole plate collects the weight being transferred laterally and distributes it to the ground or other structural supporting member.

The minimum timber size that should be used is 150mm x 150mm. The sole plate can be secured against a solid component such as another structure or a curb. However, if this is not available a minimum 100mm x 100mm timber can be placed against stakes driven into the ground to prevent the shore from sliding backwards.

U-channel sole plate: Is used on a split-sole raker and collects the weight being transferred laterally and distributes it to the ground or other structural supporting

Raker: This is the main part of the system as it supports the weight being collected by the wall plate and transfers it to the sole plate. The width of the raker should be the same as the wall plate and sole plate to ensure the secure attachment of gusset plates, cleats and braces. We are again looking at 150mm x 150mm here.

Wedges: A sufficient number of wedges must be available to fill the gaps between the shore and the structure. Wedges should be used in pairs with the cut side of each wedge flush against each other for better holding capability and for a better striking surface for the hammers when pressurising.

Gusset plates: These are 300mm x 300mm plywood squares or triangles that secure the connections between the different parts of the shore like the wall plate and sole plate. On the raker shore, they should be placed on both sides of the joints.

Bottom braces: These braces connect the wall plate to the raker, maintain distance and provide strength for the shore by preventing separation of the shore components.

The minimum size timber to be used is one 50mm x 150mm or two 50mm x 100mm.

Midpoint braces: Are used to increase the raker load bearing capability by resisting the ‘buckling’ effect. These are required when the 100mm x 100mm raker is greater than 3,5m in length or a 150mm x 150mm raker is greater than 5m in length.

Horizontal braces: Are used to connect the raker shores together near the top and bottom of the raker to provide additional stability.

Cross braces: Provide additional stability and resists lateral deflection of the shores. They are used at the end of each raker shore system and no further than 12m apart.

The solid-sole raker shore (fig 4) Following the size-up and determination of the size of timber to be used, the construction of the raker shore can begin.

Figure4: Solid sole raker 24 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

Wall plate: Erecting the wall plate will be the first step.

Ensure that the wall plate is sufficiently higher than the intended point of the rake to ensure that there is enough room for installing the cleat. The wall plate should be erected as vertically level as possible in both directions.

Volume 3 | No 11

Structural shoring Raise the wall plate at the base of the wall and gently lay it against the building. The two points of the wall plate that must be in contact with the damaged wall, are where the rake meets the building and at the base where the sole plate interjects with the base. It might be necessary to use wedges to achieve this.

No. 2

Sole plate: Before moving the sole plate in place make sure that the entire area is clear of debris. You will need some additional space to allow for rescuers to move around while they are constructing the shore. Move the sole plate into position and ensure that it is butted snugly into the base of the wall plate. Ensure that it is in direct alignment to the wall plate and flush with the floor surface; you might need to shim it to achieve this. The length of the sole plate will be depended on the type of anchoring systems to be used.

Raker: Once the height of the wall and angle of the rake have been determined, the raker must be cut to precisely the same length with the proper angles.

Place the bottom of the raker into its position on the sole plate and gently position it onto the wall plate.

It might be necessary here to move it slightly up and down to achieve the best fit. Ensure that the raker is held in place temporarily by toenailing it into the wall and sole plates.

Top cleats: The main function of the cleats is to stop the raker from moving upward or outward when pressure is applied to it. If it was not possible to install the top cleat earlier it will be necessary to do so now. It will, however, be preferable to fit the top cleat before placing the wall plate against the structure. A minimum 50mm timber of the same width as the wall and sole plate must be used.

Its minimum length should be 600mm, which should be sufficient for its purpose. It should be nailed in using the five-nail method.

Bottom cleats: The bottom cleat should be of the same dimensions but its length might differ depending on how the shore will be anchored. When installing the cleat, make sure that enough space is allowed for inserting wedges between the cleat and the raker. The wedges will be used to ensure a snug fit.

Gusset plates: The gusset plates’ function is to lock the shore connections together (the weakest part of the shore is its connecting points). The gusset plates will prevent the raker shore’s elements from moving if an unexpected force (like an aftershock) is exerted onto it. The top gusset should be installed above the top of the rake, which will tie all the elements together. The gusset plate must be nailed into all these elements ie wall plate, top cleat and raker. The bottom gusset plate should be fitted flush with the front edge of the wall plate and level with the bottom edge of the sole plate. After the plates have been fitted on the shore, it is time to install the diagonal brace. It must be installed on the outside of the gusset plate and nailed through the gusset plate into the wall plate and sole plate. The Volume 3 | No 11

Figure5: Split sole raker

back gusset plate should be installed after the set of wedges at the base have been securely tightened and should only be nailed into position when you are sure that the shore is in position and able to absorb the forces it is intended to withstand. Nail the plate flush with the bottom of the sole plate and slightly ahead of the wedges for maximum coverage.

Centre braces: The centre braces, installed on each side of the raker, provides stability to the shore by helping to stop deflection in the raker when a force is applied to the shore. The braces are nailed over the bottom cleat and at the centre of the raker.

The split-sole raker shore (Fig 5) As already mentioned, the split-sole raker shore is erected in mainly suburban or rural areas where a solid surface is not an option. It can either be pre-erected or erected in place. For safety reasons it would be better to go for the first option, although it will require precise calculations.

Erecting a split-sole raker shore is fundamentally different to that of a solid-sole shore in two areas.

Firstly, the length of the raker here will be larger than the solid-sole raker and the sole plate is made up of two (normally 20mm x 100mm or 150mm) beams. The preparation of the ground area for the placement of the base of the rake is different where it is necessary to excavate an opening in the ground to accommodate its base. It is important here to ensure that you have sufficient wedges to ensure compromise for any errors in the excavation.

The first and most important consideration when erecting this shore is to determine the height at which the rake will intersect with the damaged wall.

FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 25

Structural shoring Cleats and gussets Nail the top cleat to the wall plate at the point where you intend the raker to intersect the wall plate. Nail the rake into the wall plate directly under the top cleat. Make sure the fit is correct. Nail the gusset plate to the wall plate and rake and then temporarily nail down one of the bottom braces to the wall plate and rake to keep the shore together as it is installed.

Rake placement Now place the raker shore up against the wall and lower it into the hole before anchoring the shore into the wall.

Finally knock the wedges into position.

Bottom braces Install both bottom braces on each side of the rake, as close to the ground as possible. Place a filler block in the space to help stop any deflection of the bottom braces, which may weaken the shore and tighten up the wedges at this point and tack in place.

Figure6: Horizontal shoring

Wall plate Determining the intersecting height of the wall plate and the rake will determine the angle you can use with the size timber available. If, for example, the height of the rake is to be 3,5m up the face of the wall and the length of the material you are using is 5m long, a 54- or 60-degree angle would be most effective. If a 45-degree angle was used, the rake would have to be longer than 5m. Sourcing and transporting timbers larger than this is not only very expensive but also impractical (you will be looking at laminated beams). For strength and stability, a 60-degree-angle rake should be the maximum angle used in collapse shoring operations.

Base Determine the length, the location for the base of the rake and prepare the ground. The best method for this would be to calculate the position of the base of the rake at the determined angle (take into account the depth of the hole and the point where it intersects with the sole plates.

This will be the distance away from the wall at which you will start digging the hole that will hold the raker shore. The hole should be approximately 300mm deep (roughly the depth of your shovel blade) and on an angle to match the square end of your rake.

On softer ground, place two blocks in the hole. Nail a piece of plywood to the blocks to make one pad, then wedge it under the rake to help transfer the load over a wider surface. If you are working on more stable ground you will only need to dig only the width of one block. Place the wedge under the rake and tighten it to a snug fit. While you are busy with this, have another team getting to work cutting the angle on the rake and then cut the rake to the predetermined length.

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Diagonal brace The diagonal brace must be installed on both sides of the rake just above the bottom braces and up to the rake, on both sides.

Your shore is now complete.

Horizontal shoring (Fig 6) The main purpose of horizontal shores is to stabilise normal access routes that have been compromised. By shoring these routes, a safe area is created for rescuers and victims.

The important consideration when deciding on whether to shore such an area will again be to ascertain the viability of finding live victims in the area and the extent to which it has been damaged.

Again the shoring structure will start by placing two 150mm x 150mm wall plates against the walls facing each other as plumb as possible. After this has been done it will be time to install the horizontal struts. They must be the same dimensions of the wall plates.

Determining how many struts should be used will depend on a number of factors. These include: extent of damage, location of debris, type of wall construction, locations at which the greatest force is being applied to the walls, possible locations of victims and whether the area will be used as a sustained access route.

To ensure additional stability, cleats are nailed directly to the wall plates just below each strut. This just provides that added assurance against vibrations such as earthquake aftershocks or people accidentally shoving or stepping on the struts.

At the one end of the struts, a set of equal and opposing wedges are placed (between the strut and the wall plate) and lightly hammered together to ensure a snug Volume 3 | No 11

Strap fit. For additional protection, a range of plywood gusset plates can also be anchored onto the outward face of the connections between the wall plates and struts.

If the shore is not going to be used for sustained access, a series of diagonal braces can be nailed onto the assembly to lock the shore together as one unit.

Mechanical shores Over the last number of years a range of mechanical shoring systems have become available to rescue services. These systems started out in the trench rescue environment but have since been modified to be adapted to structural collapse incidents. These struts are extremely strong and can be set into position really quick, allowing for rescuers to enter an area safely. Struts can also be repositioned easily through a pin or threaded locking system and set by means of an air actuated system. It is important, however, for operators to be careful when actuating these systems under unstable loads. While the struts are not designed for lifting operations they may, if the pressure settings are incorrect, cause such a load to be upset. Certain suppliers have also developed a small hydraulic strut that can provide you with that little bit of space you might need to gain an access point for pneumatic lifting bags or wedges.

These struts are also provided with a wide range of bases and fittings, which provide many options for their placement. I do, however, believe that mechanical (or pneumatic) shores must be used in conjunction with timber shoring. Relying purely on mechanical shores lets you run the risk of losing them all if the structure shifts for some reason. You will then have to write them off or wait for the building to be delayered before you can start digging in the debris to get them back; only then will you know how badly they have been compromised. Mechanical struts are not cheap items and must be used with great care.

They are, however, invaluable for a rapid shoring operation or for stabilising an area that is difficult to access.

In closing Now that we have reached the end of the series on shoring, I am hoping that the one message that I have left with you is that structural shoring is a very precise and equipment intensive task, which requires plenty of pre-planning and identification of resources. Very few fire and rescue services are able to acquire and store the huge amount of timber needed to stabilise a large collapsed structure. In most cases, they have only enough to fit onto their trench collapse unit.

We have a further challenge that most timber yards don’t stock the dimensions that are generally recommended for rescue. Make a point therefore of finding out what is quickly available to you and what you need to do to get it to your rescue scene.

It will be those small details that are going to let you down when you get called upon to perform a large scale shoring operation.

Volume 3 | No 11

FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 27

High-rise fires

Fires in high-rise buildings – Elevators

By Ian Schnetler, Chief Fire Officer, City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service

Elevators provide a faster, less fatiguing method of getting to upper floors

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n this article, the next in the series of five articles on ‘Fires in high-rise buildings’, we focus on elevators.

The problem, despite the vast improvement with fire prevention efforts, is that catastrophic fires continue to occur in high-rise occupancies resulting in large loss of life and property.

Buildings exceeding 30 metres in height are equipped with at least one ‘fireman’s lift’ that serves any storey including any basement. The lift is equipped with elevator override functions for independent control during an emergency.

Use of elevators during a fire Elevators provide a faster, less fatiguing method of getting to upper floors and permit more equipment to be carried.

Fire fighters may use elevators when under fire department control and the following measures have been taken: The elevator shaft must be checked to ensure that heat/fire has not damaged the hoist mechanism, etc.

This can be done by checking the space between the door frame and 28 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

the elevator car and shining a light up in the shaft. If smoke or fire is visible in the shaft, do not use the elevator.

You must verify that the floor you are going to arrive at is uninvolved. This can be done by utilising the following measures: The elevator should be sent unmanned to the floor two floors below the suspected fire floor and then returned to the ground floor. If the elevator returns clear of smoke, the elevator may be used for fire personnel. If the elevator returns and contains smoke, do not use. Report the decision of whether or not to use the elevators to the incident commander (IC) and make sure that lobby control knows which elevators have been checked and are safe to use.

If the elevators are inoperable or unsafe for use, then the ascent must be made by stairs. Fire fighters should utilise the least occupied stairs to avoid the crush of descending occupants. If the stairs are full of smoke, provide fan pressurisation at the base to prevent the consumption of air cylinders before reaching the fire floor. Crews should limit hand carried

equipment to hose packs, forcible entry tools and spare cylinders.

If the use of elevators is feasible, these seven rules regarding elevator safety should be followed at all times.

• Only members trained in the operation, use and methods of escape from elevators should operate the lifts • Never take an elevator to the fire floor • Never pass the fire floor in an elevator • Never return on an ‘UP’ elevator unless it is under fire department control • Never use an elevator in a multiple elevator hoist way unless all are under fire department control • Never overcrowd elevators; leave room to force your way out if necessary • Always carry forcible entry tools with you when using elevators Guideline when operating the elevator Operate the elevator to the floor two floors below the suspected fire floor Volume 3 | No 11

High-rise fires Elevators with door opening restrictors should not be used unless forcible entry tools are left in the lift.

Avoid using the radio in or near the elevator control room. It may disrupt elevator controls.

Know where the stairwells are prior to entering the elevator.

Never take an elevator to the fire floor and report conditions in the elevator lobby back to the IC. Only one crew (with the operator) and equipment at a time should use the lift to avoid overload and to permit room for emergency manoeuvres in the lift.

Crews beginning the ascent should attempt to stop the lift at the first typical tower floor but not over five floors, to verify that the ‘fire feature’ is working. While stopped at that floor, note the relationship of the elevator to the closest exit stairs in the event the car does become erratic and the door opens into flame on the fire floor.

A radio, forcible entry tools, step ladder, extinguisher and spare BA cylinder should remain in the lift with the operator.

If the lobby or fire control room position indicator showed lifts not returned to the lobby, it may be possible to combine the floor check with a search for the stalled lift on the way up. If the lift performs properly, continue the ascent to two floors below the indicated fire floor, stopping every five floors to check the elevator operation.

Check the shaft for smoke every time you open the door.

Elevators that travel through a blind shaft should not be used. A blind elevator shaft is defined as the portion of a shaft where normal landing entrances are not provided.

If an elevator, which shaft terminates below the fire floor is present, use that lift. If not, utilise an elevator that serves all floors and is remote from the fire floor, such as a freight elevator.

Emergency elevator conditions Normal elevator operations, fire feature and the interlock safeties are all electronic programmes and can be made erratic or inoperative by excessive heat and smoke. No one should use an elevator in a fire situation that is not trained to self-extricate from the lift under emergency situations.

Crew and operator must be fully dressed with self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) face pieces in position for quick donning before ascent.

Know where the stairwells are prior to entering the elevator 30 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

If you see smoke under pressure or an accumulation of smoke so great you cannot see the top of the shaft, exit the lift at that point and climb the remaining floors. If the ‘fire feature’ is still operational, the operator should exit and allow the lift to be recalled to lobby on ‘bypass’. If the shaft is still clear, continue the ascent. Should the lift, at any time, become erratic and unresponsive to operator commands, activate the emergency stop. The rebound from this sudden stop might place the lift in an overload condition were it loaded with two crews and equipment. If the emergency stop fails, pry open the lift door and trip the interlock. If that fails, put on your face masks, get low in the lift and if the door opens onto the fire floor, move to the stairwell under whatever protection you can gain from the extinguisher.

The elevators should not be used for occupant evacuation until fire control is achieved, unless the shaft is made of concrete or masonry and does not open to the fire floor.

The occupants do not have selfcontained breathing apparatus or turnouts to shield them from smoke flashing in the shaftway, nor are they prepared to climb down the shaft or make the drop to a misaligned floor from a stalled lift.

The members of technical rescue and high-rise teams, however, are trained in these operations and while elevator use at fires can be dangerous, the benefits of arriving at the fire floors fresh, in a fraction of the time, with a full tank of air, necessitates use of the elevators, when safely possible.

Check the shaft for smoke every time you open the door

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Rescue roundup Strap

Earthquakes: guidelines on preparing and responding

By Neville van Rensburg and Julius Fleischman, World Rescue Organisation (WRO) assessors and members

Task force leader, Colin Deiner (right) and squad leader Marius du Toit, lead members of the South African rescue team during the response to the Japan earthquake and subsequent tsunami in March 2011

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uilding upon the foundation of advanced training, emergency response phase prepares men and women to respond physically and spiritually to earthquakes crisis situations, while continuing to instil in them the ministry mind-set that is a prerequisite to Godly servant hood. Earthquake crisis response skills are taught in the classroom and are readily practiced through disaster relief and other service opportunities. The development of Godly character is promoted through discipleship and accountability.

think creatively about applying your technical medical and rescue skills.

Earthquakes are unique within the natural disaster management domain. This is mainly because the occurrence of earthquakes remains largely unpredictable and has very rapid onsets. The way we approach earthquake preparedness and response differs from how we

respond to storms and floods and other large-scale, sudden-onset disasters. A major factor determining the impact of an earthquake is the level of human development as earthquakes in itself don’t kill people but the collapses of buildings do.

Earthquakes are among the most deadly natural hazards.

They accounted for over 60 percent of the

Both skills and character are essential in preparing men and women to minister to the physical, spiritual and emotional needs of those he/she is called to serve during earthquakes.

Emergency response work is known to be an especially difficult and emotional profession. Accordingly, it takes a particular kind of individual to do this type of work.

If you’re in the emergency medical rescue services profession, you know that outside-the-box thinking skills are a must. To function outside the box, you need to have the ability to Volume 3 | No 11

Major earthquakes in the recent past FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 31

Rescue roundup of infrastructure can make access challenging. Long gaps between major earthquakes make it difficult to sustain awareness and risk reduction efforts. Large quantities of rubble are generated following an earthquake.

Households begin their recovery efforts immediately after an earthquake and there is no time gap between relief and recovery efforts.

Key earthquake terminology deaths caused by natural disasters in the decade between 2000 and 2009.

The year 2010 was particularly challenging, with the devastating earthquake in Haiti. It caused losses and damage in Port-au-Prince and its neighbouring areas on an unprecedented scale, highlighting the challenges posed by an emergency in a densely populated urban area.

That was followed by the earthquake in Chile, which remains among the most powerful ever recorded.

The massive tsunami and nuclear meltdown triggered by the Great East Japan (Tohoku) Earthquake in March 2011 was a reminder of the complex emergencies that can be triggered by earthquakes.

While having the potential to cause considerable devastation, earthquakes also stand out from other hazards in another way. Risk reduction and mitigation efforts for earthquakes can significantly reduce damage and losses. The number of lives lost in Chile and Japan (where the majority of deaths were caused by the subsequent tsunami) was much lower than in Haiti, despite being far more powerful.

Key earthquake terminology • Epicentre: The location on the earth’s surface directly above the hypocentre.

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• Hypocentre (focus): The actual site/location that an earthquake takes place.

• Aftershock: An aftershock is a smaller earthquake that occurs after a previous large earthquake, in the same area of the main shock If an aftershock is larger than the main shock, the aftershock is redesignated as the main shock and the original main shock is redesignated as a foreshock.

Aftershocks can continue over a period of weeks, months or years.

• Seismic waves: These are waves of energy that travel through the earth as a result of an earthquake.

There are two types of waves; body waves that travel through the earth and can be divided into p-waves (more longitudinal) and s-waves (more transverse) and surface waves that travel across the surface.

• Tremor: A tremor is another name for an earthquake but is also sometimes the name given to a lesser earthquake or the felt effects of a big earthquake by people living further from the epicentre.

Aftershocks and secondary hazards often triggered by earthquakes can be more damaging than the earthquakes themselves. Effects are concentrated in smaller areas. Earthquakes have a high mortality and morbidity as compared to other disasters and the nature of injuries from earthquakes is different. Large-scale destruction

Medical first response One of the distinguishing characteristics of earthquakes is the high rate of mortality and a high proportion of non-fatal traumatic injuries, caused by falling objects or debris. Secondary hazards such as tsunamis, landslides or fires, among others, often result in greater damage and loss of lives than that caused by the earthquakes themselves. Aftershocks following major earthquakes and delayed collapses of damaged structures are also a source of mortality and morbidity.

Past experience has shown that a significant number of lives can be saved in the aftermath of an earthquake through the provision of immediate medical aid within the first few hours. Experiences also indicate that the greatest medical needs after an earthquake are in the first week.

As the greatest medical needs are within the first two days, immediate medical assistance is best provided by local physicians, medical personnel or community members trained in first aid.

These capacities, wherever available, should be supported in the initial medical response. The timing of medical responses is crucial in an earthquake.

Field hospitals should be established within the first week after the disaster.

The needs of those suffering from chronic ailments or those dependent on medication must be addressed.

As in most other emergencies, maternal and child health remain among the most significant health concerns.

Search and rescue Given the large number of collapsed structures that can be expected after an earthquake, the deployment of search-and-rescue teams is one of the first responses. These teams typically include technical experts that are assisted by sniffer dogs.

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Rescue roundup The next phases of search-and-rescue efforts proceed at a slower pace with limited use of heavy equipment to clear debris. This is in the expectation that survivors may be trapped beneath the rubble.

The emphasis in the subsequent phase moves to body recovery. This phase proceeds at a relatively quicker pace and employs heavy equipment to clear the debris. In a search and rescue operation, the majority of lives are saved by local rescuers who respond in the first 48 hours following an earthquake. Search and rescue efforts are resource intensive and can divert a considerable amount of attention and resources away from other urgent needs, including the care of survivors. It is difficult, however, to clearly define a period within which search and rescue efforts should be called off.

Search and rescue efforts are best carried out by local responders. The utility of involving highly specialised international search and rescue teams, who arrive several days after an earthquake, needs to be carefully considered and weighed against the impact that this would have on the overall response and care for survivors.

While disease outbreaks are less frequent after an earthquake as compared to other disasters, epidemiological surveillance should still be a priority.

Management of the deceased Mortality rates in an earthquake are typically much higher than in other disasters. Dead bodies are often incorrectly seen as a source of disease and possible outbreaks of epidemics.

This in turn leads to hasty responses such as burial in mass graves without following adequate procedure and can be a source of distress for the families of the deceased. Proper identification of bodies assists families attempting to locate missing relatives.

It can also aid both the process of psychological recovery by providing closure as well as assist in addressing legal requirements that the families might need to carry out.

Engaging in the management of dead bodies requires close collaboration with coordinating authorities. Actions need Volume 3 | No 11

to be in compliance with procedures in place and usual precautions.

Different levels of expertise may be needed if the intervention includes body recovery, storage, identification, information, disposal and support for families or logistics.

What is an earthquake?

An earthquake is a sudden, rapid shaking of the ground caused by the breaking and shifting of rock beneath the Earth’s surface. This shaking can cause: • Buildings and bridges to collapse; disrupt gas, electric and phone service and sometimes trigger landslides, avalanches, flash floods, fires and huge, destructive ocean waves (tsunamis).

• Buildings with foundations resting on unconsolidated landfill, old waterways or other unstable soil are most at risk.

• Buildings or trailers and manufactured homes not tied to a reinforced foundation anchored to the ground are also at risk since they can be shaken off their mountings during an earthquake.

• Earthquakes can occur at any time of the year.

Hazards associated with earthquakes Risk = probability X impact Earthquakes cause ground shaking, fault ruptures and soil liquefaction.

Secondary seismic hazards created include fires, landslides, tsunamis and structures collapse. Don’t confuse hazards with seismic hazards.

Seismic risk refers exclusively to the consequences to human life and property resulting from occurred hazards. When an earthquake occurs in a populated area, it may cause deaths and injuries and extensive property damage. Ground movement during an earthquake is seldom the direct cause of death or injury. Most earthquake-related injuries result from collapsing walls, flying glass and falling objects as a result of the ground shaking or people trying to move more than a few feet during the shaking. Much of the damage during earthquakes is predictable and preventable.

Aftershocks Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes that follow the main shock and can cause further damage to weakened buildings. Aftershocks can occur in the first hours, days, weeks or even months after the quake. Be aware that some earthquakes are actually foreshocks and a larger earthquake might occur.

What can I do to prepare before an earthquake occurs?

Pick ‘safe places’. A safe place could be under a sturdy table or desk or against an interior wall away from windows and bookcases or tall furniture that could fall on you. The shorter the distance to move to safety, the less likely you will be injured. Injury statistics show that people moving as little as three metres during an earthquake’s shaking are most likely to be injured.

The Haiti 2010 earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 33

Rescue roundup cover your head. Many injuries occur within three metres of the entrance to buildings. Bricks, roofing and other materials can fall from buildings, injuring persons nearby. Trees, streetlights and power lines may also fall, causing damage or injury.

Inform workers of the plan. Everyone in your workplace should know what to do if an earthquake occurs.

It is important to keep your training up-to-date.

Practice drop, cover and hold-on in each safe place. Drop under a sturdy desk or table and hold on to one leg of the table or desk. Protect your eyes by keeping your head down.

Practice these actions so that they become an automatic response.

Practice drop, cover and hold-on at least twice a year. Frequent practice will help reinforce safe behaviour.

When an earthquake or other disaster occurs, many people hesitate, trying to remember what they are supposed to do. Responding quickly and automatically may help protect you from injury.

Wait in your safe place until the shaking stops, then check to see if you are hurt. You will be better able to help others if you take care of yourself first and then check the people around you. Move carefully and watch out for things that have fallen or broken, creating hazards. Be ready for aftershocks.

Be on the lookout for fires. Fire is the most common earthquakerelated hazard, due to broken gas lines, damaged electrical lines or appliances and previously contained fires or sparks being released.

If you must leave a building after the shaking stops, use the stairs, not the elevator. Earthquakes can cause fire alarms and fire sprinklers to go off.

You will not be certain whether there is a real threat of fire. As a precaution, use the stairs.

If you’re outside during an earthquake, stay outside. Move away from buildings, trees, streetlights and power lines. Crouch down and 34 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

Emergency responders Collapsed structures are a common result of earthquakes. Rescue workers and emergency responders may have to enter collapsed structures to perform search and rescue activities and it is vital that they perform their duties safely.

What is a collapsed structure?

When internal load bearing structural elements fail, a building will collapse into itself and exterior walls are pulled into the falling structure. This scenario may be caused by construction activity, an earthquake or fire and may result in a dense debris field with a small footprint. Alternatively, if the structural failure is caused by an explosion or natural forces such as weather, the building may collapse in an outward direction resulting in a less dense and scattered debris field.

Who enters a collapsed structure?

Following a catastrophic failure of a structure,rescueworkersandemergency responders may be required to enter the collapsed structure. Emergency responders include fire fighters, police, emergency medical technicians, construction workers and government representatives. Emergency responders may be responsible for assisting survivors, extinguishing fires, shutting off utilities, assessing structural instabilities, shoring-up safe paths into the structure and assessment of other hazards such as airborne contaminants. Rescue workers such as urban search and rescue teams focus on finding survivors and later removing victims from collapsed structures.

Organising rescue workers and emergency responders What is the organisational structure

for the response to these events?

Although these catastrophic events may initially be quite chaotic, eventually site management will be under a unified command such as the recognised incident command structure. Local responders and rescuers will obviously respond first. In South Africa, provincial Government could request National Disaster Management Centre’s (NDMC) assistance if warranted. International response is coordinated by the NDMC according to the Disaster Management Act and international protocol as requests are between governments. Non governmental organisations generally respond on their own accord after approval from NDMC. A trained structures specialist from urban search and rescue will be responsible for: • Evaluating the immediate structural condition of the area to be entered during rescue operations.

• Determining the appropriate type and amount of structural hazard mitigation in order to minimise risks onsite to rescue personnel.

Safety and health resources available during a collapsed structure response Once the incident command system is established at a collapsed structure, the incident commander maintains accountability for all response personnel at the scene. A safety officer may also be mobilised and report directly to the incident commander. The safety officer is responsible for monitoring and assessing the safety aspects of the responders during the collapsed structure event. The safety officer’s responsibilities may include: • Overseeing all safety and health aspects of response personnel • Assuring that optimal safety and injury prevention is practiced • Investigating and documenting all response team injuries and illnesses • Preparing and maintaining entry permits • Ensuring that appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is used • Developing and implementing daily health and safety plans which address sanitation, hygiene, PPE, decontamination, work/rest cycles, acute medical care, etc.

Volume 3 | No 11

Fire station planning principles

Fire station planning principles: A new attendance time standard for community-centric fire response

By Previn D Govender, divisional head: strategy and planning, City of Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services

S

trategic location of fire stations and an efficiently managed and operating arrangement of response to alarms make the difference between life and death, recovery and devastation.

The planning and locating of fire stations are based on various factors that will include functional responsibilities, operational requirements, response times, high value risks, street-grid complexities, population densities, water supply infrastructure availability, politics and historic response data. This report proposes a new benchmark criterion for the planning and siting of fire stations that is based on built upon area rather than risk as described in the South African National Standards (SANS) 10090.

The article will be run over four consecutive editions due to its length

• Interviewing off-going shifts to assess developing hazards • Assessing risk for the identified hazards • Training in hazard awareness and use of PPE • Assessing structural instabilities What hazards may be encountered when entering a collapsed structure?

The following hazards should be considered in order to protect rescue workers and emergency responders when preparing to enter a collapsed structure: • Water system breaks that may flood basement areas • Exposure to pathogens from sanitary sewer system breaks • Exposed and energised electrical wiring • Exposure to airborne smoke and dust (asbestos, silica, etc.)

Volume 3 | No 11

and complexity. The first part of the series will introduce the need for fire stations, public expectations, key risk model and the planning drivers. The

subsequent articles will highlight the importance of understanding planning drivers, calculations for optimal siting, choosing a site and a conclusion.

• Exposure to blood borne pathogens • Exposure to hazardous materials (ammonia, battery acid, leaking fuel, etc.)

• Natural gas leaks creating flammable and toxic environment • Structural instability • Insufficient oxygen • Confined spaces • Slip, trip or fall hazards from holes, protruding rebar, etc • Being struck by a falling object • Fire • Proximity to heavy machinery such as cranes • Sharp objects such as glass and debris • Secondary collapse from aftershock, vibration and explosions • Unfamiliar surroundings • Adverse weather conditions • Noise from equipment (generators heavy machines)

Emergency preparedness guides are based on presently available information, as well as current occupational safety and health provisions and standards.

The procedures and practices discussed in emergency preparedness guides may need to be modified when additional, relevant information becomes available.

This is the first in a series of articles.

The next article will focus on the emergency responders and collapsed structures.

References: USA Occupational Safety and Health Administration Earthquakes Guide; Earthquake Guidelines, Reparing, Responding and Recovering: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 35

Strap Fire station planning principles The need for fire stations In a dynamic metropolitan local government environment that constantly pursues the best models for service delivery, investor attractiveness and revenue generation amidst increasing urbanisation and development demands; the obligation to provide protection against fire and related loss is a challenging requisite that must be factored in as a constant in the dynamics of responsive and future planning.

Critically, the need to provide emergency services must match the risk profile, which includes the built environment, the climate, geography and population.

A fire station supports the needs of the fire department and the community in which it is located.

Strategic location of fire stations and an efficiently managed and operating arrangement of response to alarms make the difference between life and death, recovery and devastation.

The planning and positioning of fire stations are based on various factors that include functional responsibilities, operational requirements, response times, high value risks, street-grid complexities, population densities, water supply infrastructure availability, politics and historic response data.

A fire station must accommodate extremely diverse functions, including staff accommodation during their shift, recreation, administration, training, community education, equipment and vehicle storage, equipment and vehicle maintenance and hazardous materials storage. Every fire station is occupied continuously 24 hours a day, seven days a week and every station must be able to withstand this never-ending use. While it is usually only occupied by trained personnel, the facility may also need to accommodate the general public for community education or outreach programs.

Public expectations Essentially, the most significant factor in planning for the location of fire stations is satisfying the public expectation that 36 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

the right resource will respond within the right time with the right level of skills to assist during an emergency incident. This reality cannot be overlooked as like in any event of human distress; the human psyche is such that there is an almost inherent reaction to have an immediate sense of relief from such distress.

This need for immediate relief from actual or impending danger and protection from life and property loss signifies the importance of the extent of why planning for future fire stations must allow for the public expectation as a factor during technical and empirical calculations.

Key risk model Fundamentally, a fire service provides emergency services based on a key risk model that accounts for risk mitigation of risks to itself as a service, mitigation of risks to the communities it serves and ultimately risk mitigation of risks that pose a threat to the sustainability of a society as a whole.

The key risk model for the provision of fire and emergency services is consequently based on the following: • Responder safety: The risk to individual fire fighter safety or other emergency responders working under the direction of the fire service, posed by the hazards present on site and the likely consequences of any actions or failures of mitigating risk features.

• Individual and societal: The risk to the personal safety of persons other than fire fighters or other emergency responders working under the direction of the fire service, who may be directly or indirectly affected by the emergency event and the implications for wider society of any actions or failures of mitigating risk features.

• Community: The value of a site to the economic and social welfare of a community and the probable outcomes of a loss of the site including critical infrastructure and business continuity.

• Heritage: Recognition of the value placed by society on a site’s cultural and historic presence as part of the fabric of the national and local community.

• Environment: The likely

consequences from an onsite event on the sustainability or quality of the surrounding natural and human environments.

• Lives and livelihood: The risk of preventable loss of lives and risks are judged of importance to the local, provincial and national economy.

Planning drivers Location of fire stations, when properly qualified through well-informed study, must result in outcomes that will reduce risk and offset root causes that affect emergency service goals and objectives and the ever present public expectation.

Planning drivers for location of fire stations are mainly driven by the need to minimize response times and equally important, should be driven by future demand and forecasts.

These are essentially the factors that underlie performance (causal) with the objective of using the location of the fire station to strengthen internal goal achievement and provide confidence in municipal ability ie meeting public expectations.

The three initial primary drivers that are needed in determining the need for building and operationalising of fire stations are: • Levels of risk throughout the city • Required and desired response times to those risk areas • The speed at which fire apparatus can travel to this risk areas on existing and projected road networks.

The fourth driver would be: • The consequence of inability to meet these requirements.

As a consequence, fire stations will vary somewhat in design depending on specific mission, ie the types of emergencies that will be responded to or the types of fires that will be fought.

The next article will highlight the importance of understanding planning drivers, which will include SANS category 1 rating, urban complexity factor, consulting spatial development frameworks, optimal siting of fire stations, the Importance of time and alignment to standard.

Volume 3 | No 11

Your story

Meet Andrè Oosthuysen, company commander at City of Tshwane Fire Brigade Services

Hoedspruit 1989

A

ndrè Oosthuysen’s story as a fire fighter started over 30 years ago. Born on 30 January 1971, Oosthuysen joined the fire service in 1984 as a volunteer/part time fire fighter at the Greytown Municipality

Andrè Oosthuysen became a fire fighter at the age of 13 in 1984 Volume 3 | No 11

in Natal, now KwaZulu-Natal, at the tender young age of 13. His inspiration came from an Afrikaans children’s television series.

“When I was 13, I watched the Afrikaans television programme about

the story of, “Groenie, die Drakie, Ek wil ‘n brandweerman word”. The next morning we were walking in the main street of Greytown shopping for clothes. While walking, I passed the fire chief (director of protection services) of Greytown, Mr GJ Naude.

Greytown Protection Service recruits 1984

FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 37

Your story he said I should come to the office the following Monday afternoon. It was the longest weekend of my life; Monday morning school made it even longer,” recalled Oosthuysen.

Deputy Mayor Peter Mason presenting Oosthuysen with his certificate

“The Monday afternoon, I walk over to the fire station. As one of the firemen had left the service, I ended up getting a helmet, a jacket that although it was their smallest size it look like a like large on me, an overall, number 10 leather boots, a belt and a fireman’s axe. As my shoe size was an eight, I had to wear two pairs of socks and put newspaper in the front of the shoes so my feet would fit.”

“When I left the chief’s office, he told me to be back at 18h00 to see what they do. I was there at 17h30. After the drill, the chief introduced me and I asked to join the service. I have never looked back. I feel the same today as I did then, only much older!”

In 1993 in front of the then modern Iveco ambulance

“The chief wrote a letter to the principal of the school, Mr Odendaal and asked if I could be exempted from all school sport. This meant that I would be available should they need me. I replaced the fireman who left and started as shift worker seven days on seven off for the next four years.

My shift activities started at 14h00 and ended at 24h00”, said Oosthuysen.

The start of his career During his three years as a part time fire fighter at the Greytown Protection Service, Oosthuysen’s duties included pump operator, fire fighting and training pioneer volunteer fire fighters. He joined the South African Civil Defence as a fire fighter where his duties included fire fighting, shift leader and training of civil defence fire fighters.

Oosthuysen received his B-Tech degree in Fire Technology in 2004 I turned around and followed him.

When he stopped, I asked him if he could help me to become fireman.

As it was late on a Friday afternoon, 38 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

“The fire station became my home.

During those days, the chief gave classes for the South African Emergency Service (SAESI) examinations and I joined in on the lectures. When exam times came, I was given an exam paper for a junior fireman. The exam paper was seen to be equal to standard nine (Grade 11). Nobody expected me to pass. I passed the exam but then they realised that I was only 13 years old and not 14. You had to be 14 to be in the South African Civil Defence Force. This resulted in me becoming a member of SAESI in 1985. I received my certificate

that year. Due to my achievement, I made the front page of the newspaper.

In those days certificates were handed out by the mayor but as the mayor was out of town, I received mine from the deputy mayor.”

“In 1988 I completed my Matric and in that December, I received my call up papers to the South African Air Force. I did not want to lose any fire experience, so, with the help of the fire chief and my parents, I applied for the position as an Air Force fireman.

As a permanent member of the South African Airforce (SAAF) Fire Brigade, I would be able to live my dream.”

Oosthuysen went to Pretoria for the interview and the Air Force Directorate Recruitment accepted my Junior Fireman Certificate and four years’ experience as a fireman and was recruited as a lance corporal, a first for the Air Force. He was promoted to corporal after a year.

“I was known a ‘roof’ (airman) in my first year in the Air Force. I celebrated by 18th birthday during my ‘basics’ and was posted to Dunnottar Fire Training School situated in the Transvaal Province (now Gauteng) after completed my basics. I passed my first driver’s licence on a Magirus Deutz truck. After completing the Dunnottar Fire Training School course, I went back home to Greytown where I completed a code 11 driver’s licence on a 22 ton payload Mercedes Benz truck,” Oosthuysen recollected.

“I volunteered to go to Hoedspruit in order to further my career and wrote my Fireman’s exam; sadly that year it was changed to a certificate. A year later I became corporal and the following year, a sergeant. This made me the youngest sergeant in the Air Force Fire Brigade. To my knowledge, I was also the youngest person in the Air Force,” added Oosthuysen.

In 1991 he completed his Basic Ambulance Course (BAC) in Cape Town.

“In 1992, I had a wonderful experience with God. I prayed to return to Pretoria.

Within two days of my prayer I was transferred to Waterkloof Air Force Base Fire Department. Captain van der Westhuizen assisted me in writing Volume 3 | No 11

Your story a letter to the General, requesting permission for me to volunteer at Centurion Fire Department and it was approved. I was able to learn how to operate all 14 vehicles as well as the control room during my volunteer sessions,” he remembered.

From January 1989 to May 1993, Oosthuysen was a fire fighter at the South African Air Force with the rank of sergeant. He was stationed at Hoedspruit Air Force Base from 1989 to 1992 and at Waterkloof Air Force Base from 1992 to 1993. His duties as shift supervisor included aerodrome procedures. During the period 1991 to 1993 his duties included quality management controller, fire fighting, rescue procedures, fire prevention, supervising of fire fighters, shift training officer at main and sub-stations and basic medical training. During 1993 he applied for an advertised position in Centurion and got the post.

Oosthuysen received his 30-year Award at the 2015 SAESI Conference and Exhibition

Oosthuysen continued, “In 1994, the state paid for a “Rookie” course and management decided that I should complete this standardisation course in Boksburg. I was nominated as best student. In 1997, I completed an Ambulance Emergency Assistant (AEA) course and in 1998, I met my beautiful wife, Ronel Oosthuysen. She challenged me to go and study further and in 1999, I completed my higher certificate and enrolled for a B-Tech degree at Tshwane University of Technology, which I completed in 2004.”

During 2000 to 2006, Oosthuysen was appointed as an acting officer and was appointed as an officer in 2006 after the restructure of the City of Tshwane Fire Brigade.

Fire and Rescue International has come to know Oosthuysen as a man of passion, dedicated to the fire service and to serving his community. Salute!

Volume 3 | No 11

Photographer: Iain Fourie

Present He is currently the company commander at City of Tshwane Fire Brigade Services’ Wonderboom Magalies Fire Station situated north-east of Pretoria. In November 2015, Oosthuysen received his 30-year award from SAESI at the SAESI Conference and Exhibition at Nasrec, Johannesburg. He is the youngest person to receive this award.

Oosthuysen trying out new extrication tools FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 39

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

Ekurhuleni boosts its CERT teams

The CERT teams are trained in assisting the community where emergency situations arise

E

kurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, Disaster and Emergency Management Services Department identified different risks and emergency challenges that are faced within informal settlements in Ekurhuleni, South Africa. The main emergencies were found to be due to fires, floods, quarry and extreme weather conditions affecting the 119 informal settlements, which houses an estimated 162 982 households (2013 survey) in the metro’s boundaries. The size of these informal settlements ranges from the smallest being Rietfontein 63 with about 10 households to the largest being Vusi Musi/Ehlanzeni in Tembisa with an estimated 8 451 families.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) programme was introduced with the aim of educating the community to avoid emergency situations and how to act during emergencies to reduce loss of lives or property and injuries. The team is also trained in assisting the community where such emergency situations arise. The City of Ekurhuleni’s initiative to sponsor this programme aims at increasing community resilience against deadly fires in informal settlements.

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The goals of the CERT programme are to: • Enable neighbourhood teams to prepare for and respond effectively to emergencies and fires until professional responders arrive • Provide a link between neighbourhood and professional responders • Improve community preparedness by improving the credibility of neighbour-to-neighbour information • Enhance the preparedness of their neighbourhoods for disasters and enhance their resilience to crisis situations • Support the community’s public safety efforts through door-to-door public fire and life safety education and awareness campaigns • Assist during and after disasters when called upon to do so

for the hazards that threaten their communities. Initially, CERT programmes were developed to assist communities in taking care of themselves in the aftermath of a major disaster when first responders are overwhelmed or unable to respond because of communication or transportation difficulties. As the CERT concept has taken hold across the world, however, CERTs have become much more than originally envisioned.

CERTs have proven themselves to be an active and vital part of their communities’ preparedness and response capability. For example, CERTs have been used to: • Distribute and/or install smoke alarms and batteries to the elderly and disabled • Assist with distribution and launch of the ‘Safer Paraffin’ campaign • Assist with evacuations and traffic control • Promote community awareness of potential hazards and preparedness measures • Supplement staffing at special events, such as parades • Act as victims in training exercises

CERTs are formed by members of a neighbourhood or workplace who wants to be better prepared

The Community Emergency Response Teams programme is an investment of local government’s time and

The establishment of Community Emergency Response Teams in informal settlements is an effort to enhance the creation of resilient communities and deepen the involvement of communities in safety and security matters that affect them.

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Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) resources. To capitalise on this investment, programme sponsors can view CERT members as a volunteer resource that can assist with public safety activities. Such an approach will actively involve members in serving their communities beyond disaster response and add value to the CERT programme. The best source of help in an emergency or disaster is the paid or volunteer professional responder.

The teams are not intended to replace a community’s response capability but rather to serve as an important supplement to it. The agency municipality sponsoring the CERT programme is creating a volunteer resource that is part of the community’s operational capability before and following a disaster. That municipality should develop training standards for CERT members and protocols for their activation and use.

CERT members must keep their safety in mind as their first priority.

CERT volunteers must know their capabilities and the limitations of their training and equipment and work within those limitations.

CERTs do not: • Suppress large fires • Enter structures that they consider heavily damaged and dangerous eg leaning or moved from foundation • Perform hazardous materials clean up or respond to incidents involving radiological, chemical or biological agents • Perform medical, fire or search and rescue operations beyond their level of training

• Activate or deploy unless called for in their procedures CERT members are considered ‘Good Samaritans’ and are covered under the Section 2 of the Disaster Management Volunteer Regulations (2005). CERT volunteers do not have any authority beyond serving as ‘Good Samaritan’ when helping others. When deployed appropriately, however, CERT volunteers can complement and enhance first-response capability in neighbourhoods and workplaces by ensuring the safety of themselves and their families working outward to the neighbourhood or office and beyond until first responders arrive. CERTs can then assist first-response personnel as directed.

Training As the community emergency response teams consist of volunteers from communities, their common effort is to complement and enhance awareness of existing hazards in their neighbourhoods, conduct fire and life safety education and enhance first response. During the training provided

by Ekurhuleni, the teams learned to: • Prepare for the hazards that threaten their communities • Apply size-up and safety principles • Locate and turn off utilities • Extinguish small fires • Identify hazardous materials situations • Triage and treat victims • Set up a medical treatment area • Conduct search and rescues in lightly and moderately damaged structures • Understand the psychological impact of an emergency or disaster on themselves and others

CERT teams assist with distribution and launch of the ‘Safer Paraffin’ campaign Volume 3 | No 11

• Organise themselves for an effective and safe response • Apply response skills in a disaster simulation As these teams are not professional disaster and emergency management practitioners the type of training should be limited to the role they are expected to play within their communities. The minimum training programmes are: • Basic hazardous material awareness • Disaster preparedness • Disaster response • Fire safety • Fire suppression • Elementary incident management • First aid • Evacuation procedures • Light search and rescue • Disaster medical • Disaster psychology • Public education Following this initial training, the municipality has the challenge of helping CERT members maintain and improve their skills through a variety of training programmes, exercises and special projects tailored to meet local needs in informal settlements.

Roles before an emergency Before a major incident, the professionals may not be in a position to cover all areas in terms of creating awareness relating to existing hazards such as public information, public fire and life safety education and relations. The CERT teams will augment emergency management and response capability within their communities and play the following role: • Identifying and mitigating potential hazards in the informal settlements and homes

The Community Emergency Response Teams programmes is an investment of local government’s time and resources FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 41

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Strategic alignment The Expanded Public Works Programme is strategic aligned with local, provincial and national directives and the CERT programme is part of the Expanded Public Works Programme. The CERT programme is also part of the Service Delivery Budget Implementation Plan and reports are submitted every month.

Within the next five years Ekurhuleni will be expanding the CERT programme to all areas within all the wards

• Initiating plans to prepare themselves and their loved ones for the hazards that they face • Learning skills to help themselves, loved ones and neighbours until professional response resources arrive • Working cooperatively as a team within their neighbourhoods • Maintaining a relationship with Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Disaster and Emergency Management Services, who sponsors the programme • Participating in continuing education and training • Volunteering for projects to enhance the public safety of their communities • Understanding their capabilities and limitations when deployed • Provide assistance during disasters when more hands and capacity is required Roles during an emergency When an emergency, disaster or overwhelming incident occurs at an informal settlement and responders are not immediately available, CERTs will assist by: • Conducting an initial size-up in the informal settlement • Reducing immediate dangers by turning off utilities, suppressing small fires, evacuating the area and helping others • Treating people in the immediate area 42 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

• Establish a command post, staging area and medical triage and treatment areas • Collecting damage information and developing a plan of operation based on life-saving priorities and available resources • Applying their training to situations where CERT members can make a difference • Establishing and maintaining communication with responders Day-to-day functioning All 119 informal settlements fall within an area of operation of a fire station and each CERT is linked to the fire station operationally covering that informal settlement. The station manager of the relevant fire station is expected to establish a good working relationship with the members of the relevant CERT team. The station manager’s office serves as a day to day point of contact between the CERTs and the department or municipality. The station manager is also responsible to facilitate any form of material that is to be issued to CERT members. The Public Information, Education and Relations (PIER) section is expected to establish sufficient operational procedures to ensure that the relationships are kept healthy and smooth. CERT members are expected to conduct door-to-door public fire and life safety education and at a minimum visit ten households in their respective informal settlements a week.

Roll out plan Within the next five years Ekurhuleni will be expanding the CERT programme to all areas within all the wards. The budget will make provision for a minimum of 10 CERT members per ward so its 110 wards will be services by 1 010 CERT members. This will increase the current status of 600 CERT members with 410 CERT members.

Accredited training to be provided to all CERT members to uplift their skills required to perform their functions.

Ekurhuleni will also establish emergency call points at all the informal settlements. The call points will consist of containers tailor-made to their specifications.

Benefits to date Since the inception of the programme, thousands of public members were reached and made aware of the risks in their respective areas.

In 2012/2013 financial year there were 311 fires reported while 259 fires were reported in the 2013/2014 financial year, a reduction 52 informal settlements fires. The fatality rate in informal settlement fires also reduced.

During the 2014/2015 financial year 207 fires in informal settlements were reported in Ekurhuleni.

The CERT members’ day to day interaction with the community makes it possible for emergency services to communicate with the community members and to distribute important information that can assist the community in case of an emergency this in itself is a great achievement. The CERT programme made it possible for various awareness campaigns to be successful.

Through the implementation of the CERT programme, Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality was nominated for the KAMOSO awards.

Volume 3 | No 11

Remembering Westdene, Fire service: 27 March CFO profile 1985

31 Years since since the the Westdene Westdene bus disaster disaster

General view of the scene at the Westdene Dam

I

t has been 31 years since the Westdene bus disaster, which happened in 1985 in Westdene, situated in Johannesburg and left a lasting impression on not only victims of the crash but also all rescue personnel involved. Fire and Rescue International interviewed Malcolm Midgley, station officer at Randburg Fire at the time, Elize Venter, survivor of the bus crash as well as Jenny Santiago (nee Mowers), who was one of the learners in the second bus.

On 27 March 1985, a yellow double decker bus transporting school children from the Vorentoe High School veered off the road as it was crossing over the bridge of the Westdene Dam. The bus hit the railing of the bridge within the first third of the bridge and went crashing into the dam, coming to rest 10 metres from the wall, where it sank into mud at the bottom. Thirty children managed to swim to safety or were rescued whilst 42 children lost their lives.

Civilians were the first to respond to the incident, frantically trying to help the trapped children. Sadly, a few survivors from the bus crash lost their lives in an attempt to save the children that were still stuck in the bus. The incident was declared a national disaster by the president of the time, PW de Klerk.

To date, there is no concrete evidence as to what caused the accident. On inspection, there was no obvious mechanical problems found with the bus, no indication of a collision with another vehicle and the tyres appeared to be in order.

Attention was then directed to the bus driver. However, William Horne, aged 41 at the time of the incident, was described by those who had travelled on his routes before, as an excellent and meticulous driver. The children who survived the bus Volume 3 | No 11

accident were interviewed and no reasonable conclusions could be drawn with regards to negligent driving. It was also emphasised that Horne had five children of his own.

It was said that some of the older boys attempted to kick out the emergency window before the bus hit the water but failed to do so. This led to the testimony of a survivor, Marcelle Wilsnach, during a court case in 2010 regarding resolving faulty emergency exits on busses.

The local fire department had no diving unit at the time, fire fighters attempted underwater search and rescue using their fire fighting breathing apparatus (SCBA). Police divers and paramedic teams arrived thereafter, within minutes of the accident. A large number of ambulances, emergency vehicles and helicopters arrived on scene and emergency teams continued to remove trapped victims from the wreckage. A boat operated in the water for about 30 minutes to assist divers.

Bystanders faced the horror as one young body after young body was brought to the surface. The bus was lifted from the water at around 19h00. It had no serious damage and the indicator lights were still flashing. Hydraulic rescue equipment, Jaws of Life, was used to cut open sections of the bus as the last of the victims were removed.

Rescue response Malcolm Midgley, who was Randburg Fire’s station officer at the time, recalled the incident as one of the most tragic and outstanding events during his 36-year career in the emergency an officer for more than 30 years and a paramedic (ALS) for 26 years.

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Remembering Westdene, 27 March 1985 “As the service was split ie fire and ambulance, the personnel didn’t know each other’s capability or equipment. Nobody was sure whether you could work under water with pneumatic extrication equipment.”

“There was no vehicle staging area and no transport officer.”

“The hospital liaison at Helen Joseph Hospital (then JG Strydom) had no clue that there was a disaster on their doorstep. Johannesburg General Hospital (now Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital) was also not informed,” added Midgley.

Attempts to resuscitate Tanya Pieters, she was taken to hospital by helicopter but passed away Said Midgley, “The initial response only included one ambulance from Johannesburg Ambulance (Johannesburg Fire and Rescue) as the caller said that there was a vehicle that crashed into the Westdene Dam. The original information received was insufficient to warrant extra resources. The second caller was told that response was dispatched already. The second vehicle dispatched arrived on scene and messages started going back to the control room after which more fire and rescue tenders were dispatched. Allan Cloete, now deceased was the chief fire officer of Johannesburg Fire and Rescue at the time.”

“I received a mutual assistance call from Brixton station to my control room asking, “Please, we need anybody that can do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). I was duty officer and informed the chief fire officer (CFO) of the request and we took our intensive care unit (ICU) ambulance and went to assist, unsure of how long since the occurrence incident.

We arrived on scene to chaos,” Midgley remembered.

Duration “From the time that we arrived until they were satisfied that all the victims had been removed was over an hour. The removal of the bus was only completed many hours later

“An ambulance helicopter (not geared or staffed for primary response) was sent and only when it was on final approach, did we know that it was coming.”

“Original rescue attempts did not realise that it was a double decker bus.”

“The first diving was done using breathing apparatus.

Professional diving was provided by an ex paramedic,” said Midgley.

We asked Midgley how the incident affected the dynamics of rescue operations and he responded by saying, “As an officer at another service, I can’t comment for Johannesburg of the time but we started a water rescue team at Randburg and I started diving and set up a water rescue unit in Randburg.

We actually assisted with the second Westdene incident and with the recovery of the ambulance helicopter that crashed into the Vaal. I also developed an incident command system that we used afterwards. I now teach incident command based on the American system. Technology has improved communication since those days with the introduction of cellular phones, call and dispatch centres etc.”

“Proper incident command and the delegation of duties would have had a major impact on the response,” added Midgley.

Challenges A number of issues challenged the response to the incident.

“Communication was a major weakness as there was no communication between services on scene and en route.

There was also no communication between the dam wall, rescuers on the bus and the shoreline,” said Midgley.

Post incident stress Such a notable incident leaves imprints in the minds of all involved and when we asked Midgley about it, he said, “Some say that it did have a profound effect on them. I have never before or since attended to such a mass casualty incident with so many dead. I assisted with the resuscitation and loading

The triage area

Preparation to move the victims to the mortuary

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Volume 3 | No 11

Remembering Westdene, 27 March 1985 of the helicopter of a young girl (Tanya Pieters). I found out later that she had passed away in hospital. There was no PTSD counselling for any of the first responders post incident.”

Responders remembered “Some of the people from the incident included: • CFO Nic van Dyk (deceased) - my chief • CMDT Chris van der Westhuizen (deceased) - Randburg Civil Defence • Hennie Madely (retired) - colleague • Tom Watson - ex Johannesburg ambulance officer • Johann Mostert - ex Johannesburg ambulance officer • Grant Jameson - ex Johannesburg ambulance professional diver • Linda van Heerden - Chief flight nurse and instructor • Jacques du Plessis - ex Johannesburg ambulance officer • Allan Cloete (deceased) - ex Johannesburg ambulance chief and then CFO • Dr Graham Willies (deceased) - Ambulance Training College • Piet Steyn and Max Steinbach - ex Johannesburg Civil Defence” Recollection of a survivor Elize Venter was 14 years old when she was travelling on the bus that crashed into the Westdene Dam. Venter described the event as the day “mortality became a reality” in her life.

Venter explained that as the bus plunged under water, there was total darkness. However, she saw a light from one of the sliding windows of the bus and attempted to make her way thereto. As she was attempting to escape from the window, her hips got stuck, at which point she lost consciousness. Venter was then pulled out by one of the rescuers and admitted to hospital.

One of the many victims being transported to the mortuary individuals did not feel worthy of being called heroes and receiving awards of bravery, she said. She wishes to reach out to them and let them know that they are in fact heroes.

Poem by Jenny Santiago (nee Mowers) Jenny Santiago was travelling in a separate bus behind the bus that crashed into the Westdene Dam. She wrote the poem below two years ago in an attempt to find closure and to extend a final farewell to the terrible ordeal that shook her childhood.

Santiago explained that when she returned to school, there were eight empty desks in her classroom and “we all knew what had happened to our friends.”

“Still today, I don’t commit myself to people,” said Venter with regards to the physiological impact the accident has had on her life. She added that one simply does not allow yourself to be happy. Venter endured many years of depressive states.

She also feels that she had lost out on her school years as she only made friends again for the first time in her matric year. “I completely withdrew from society,” explained Venter.

Six years ago, Venter started her road of healing when she became more involved in organising relevant memorial services and contributing towards the official Westdene Bus Disaster, 1985 website and social media pages. Venter explained that due to the nature of the tragedy, it was a topic people simply did not talk about. Ironically, many people would find healing in the process of talking about that fatal day. Since the establishment of the website, social media pages and organised events, it would prove that many individuals directly and indirectly involved during the incident would find some relief from openly talking about an event that changed their lives forever.

Venter highlighted the traumatic experience of many returning to school only to find all the empty desks, which were once occupied by friends. Venter extended her gratitude to all those involved in the rescue operation. She dubbed them the “heroes of the day”. However, these Volume 3 | No 11

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Remembering Westdene, 27 March 1985 The next morning wherever I looked, I had the sight of an empty desk.

I felt a grief so deep within my chest.

Why does this happen to a 14 year old girl?

My entire being was trapped in a whirl.

42 White coffins the mass funeral would be.

Was this supposed to set me free?

The answer to that is NO! As white then became a foe.

Mass funeral held for the victims During the interviews conducted with Venter and Santiago, one aspect became very apparent, the effect of the absence of trauma counselling caused long term post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for many people involved. Santiago described that 27 March 1985 marks the day she was no longer a child and she never received the necessary counselling to deal with what she had witnessed.

She was only a young child standing at the scene, witnessing one of the biggest tragedies in South African history.

The Westdene Bus Disaster, 1985 It was the morning of the 27th of March 1985.

Me a 14 year old girl, with hopes, dreams feeling so alive The day was as any school day would be to me and you Home time quarter to two Busses waiting outside the main gate Hustle and bustle not to be late The bus ride home meant having a giggle and a teenage chat….

Little did we know that day will determine out fate.

Without any warning or request, My life changed forever more because of what I saw next!

The yellow bus in front of me lost control and drove into the Westdene Dam. Until this day I hear that slam.

Pandemonium, confusion, panic and unbelief The beginning of the darkest grief I stood next to the dam in a dreamlike state.

Nightmare!!!! I needed to wake!!

31 Years later I ask myself, how do you feel?

Will you ever completely heal?

The answer to that I do not know.

As the healing process is painfully slow My dearest angel friends allow me to walk away.

Never will I forget that forever changing day.

Please set me free, This to you is my plea.

Forever I will remember you.

But no longer in a state of rue You have made me and us who we are.

Forever you will be my guidance star.

My friends this is the hardest thing for me to do.

To myself I have to be true.

Today I have to let you go.

I no longer want to be in a state of kayo.

42 Angels up above, You have taught me the reason of love.

Rest quietly now, As to you my head I bow.

By Jenny Santiago (previously Mower) Venter and Santiago said that on the day of the Westdene bus disaster, a community came together as a whole.

They both commended the efforts for the fire brigade, paramedics, rescue workers, divers and civilians.

The website www.westdene1985.co.za and Facebook page “Westdene Bus Disaster Tribute” was created as an acknowledgement to all involved in the incident.

Just standing there looking upon, The darkest of water, knowing my friends are gone.

I remember holding, holding and holding my breath.

But reality sunk in at the sight of death.

Still standing there as if cast in stone Never in my 14 years did I feel so alone.

My entire being ached, I needed to go!

But my mind and body said NO! There I stood for hours on end, Hoping and praying, please! Please! Let me see just one friend!

This was not to be that fateful day.

Because 42 children passed away 46 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

Funeral parade during the mass funeral Volume 3 | No 11

Nozzle tactics

Some thoughts on nozzles

By Dale Jenkins, senior captain safety 24-A, Houston Fire Department

I

was recently asked about my thoughts on nozzles and it just so happens that I have a few opinions.

For 30 years I was on a nozzle or behind the guy with the nozzle, always at busy stations. Never once did I get into trouble inside a burning building with a fog nozzle in our hands on a hose line that was intact. Now, I have had my butt kicked and been driven out but as long as my line stayed with us, we never had a close call.

The key here is that the line remained intact! We got in trouble when our lines blew or got burned into. It is incredible how fast a fire can go bad when we suddenly quit putting the wet stuff on the red stuff.

I never thought of operating a nozzle to require extreme training, I always thought of it as basic training, beginning with: 1. We always have the most litres per minute we could handle on our line, available at the nozzle, not at the pump. At the nozzle puts us in control! At the pump puts them in control! I never want my crew’s life or my life to primarily rest in the hands of someone else!!!!!!!!!

Our intent should be to overwhelm the fire so that the fire does not overwhelm us!

2. Bleeding your line serves two purposes, it removes air and confirms water.

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3. Start at the base of the fire and move up.

4. Move your nozzle! (I always used a clockwise, whip it in a circular pattern) 5. Put the wet stuff on the red stuff; direct application is more effective than indirect application.

6. We should teach to wash a path on the floor ahead of them. You know, where there is a foot of red hot coals and they believe they can walk or crawl through them. This can be a self-correcting problem if they are not taught this early enough. Once their skin grafts heal, they normally do not duplicate this mistake. A good officer should not let this happen!

7. Gauge the movement of your nozzle to the extinguishment. If it’s not going out, slow the movement down.

8. Use your nozzle patterns, if you have a choice of patterns. I always taught my guys to let the fire dictate which pattern we were on at any given time. If you use nozzles that do not have pattern options, then you clearly need to train on what to do under different situations.

9. Use your water wisely, even after established water supply; fine tune your water application: • When your fires are small we

want to limit the amount of water to prevent needless damage.

• When we get to the mop up stage, learn the indirect method of water application, the bank, the ricochet, the rain down. Learn to gate back, to pin point our water and use finesse. The owners will appreciate this.

• Control the amount of water after the main knock down of a large fire. Too much water makes ventilation difficult by overcooling the environment, which makes the air heavy and less buoyant. You will find yourself trying to crawl around for secondary search under a blanket of steam or fog making the completion of your assignment much more difficult.

Every young fire fighter should know that when they are walking through a 160 square metre home kicking some serious butt that it may all change when they move to the attic. They must realise that they had been fighting an approximately 14 to 23 square metre room and contents fire. For the most part they were attacking them one at a time with good results. When they transition into the attic, it will be totally different. If it is only 50 percent involved, they are still looking at a 83 square metre structure fire that is nothing like their room and contents fire. This is where many cocky young fire fighters have had their pride rearranged, formerly referred to as having their asses kicked.

FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 47

Ambulance infection control

Ambulance infection control: understanding and applying it items such as laryngoscopes, stethoscopes, mattresses, blood pressure cuffs, splints, scoop stretchers, defibrillation paddles, spider harnesses and head blocks. High-level disinfectants are far more reliable at disinfection of a wide range of pathogens and in a much shorter time than intermediate-level disinfectants.

Good examples of locally available high-level disinfectants are Prodis XP, which contains glutaraldehyde and ammonium chloride, and SteriTech high level disinfectant.

F

irstly, let’s clarify what the difference is between cleaning, sterilisation and disinfection.

Cleaning involves merely removing soil from a surface. This usually includes the use of water and detergents.

Sterilisation involves destroying all microbial life on a surface, and usually occurs separately after cleaning. The use of chemicals, pressurised steam, dry heat and hydrogen peroxide gas plasma are all examples of sterilising agents used in health care.

Disinfection is the process of removing all pathogenic microorganisms from the surface, except bacterial spores.

Disinfectants are further categorised as being low-level, intermediate-level or high-level.

In the ambulance environment, it’s best to use a combined method that

I am at nearly 38 years in, at least 36 of which we have used air packs. I have never destroyed a helmet or mask.

I have worked with some of the best fire fighters in the city with thousands of fires under their belts, who used fog nozzles and got the job done.

Several years back, my own captain got caught in a flashover without a 48 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

involves cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation all together.

Items that should be cleaned and disinfected with intermediate-level disinfectants include surfaces such as countertops, cupboards, walls, floors and ceilings within the ambulance.

A chlorine-releasing agent such as sodium hypochlorite solution (bleach) is a classic example of an intermediatelevel disinfection chemical. In sufficient concentrations and with enough contact time, bleach will disinfect surfaces of infections such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B. Good examples of locally available intermediate-level disinfectants are SteriTech concentrated antimicrobial solution (CAS) and SteriTech disinfecting cleaner.

Items that should be cleaned and disinfected with high-level disinfectants include patient contact

hose line. The day after as I left the burn ward, I called or visited with 11 active or retired fire fighters whom I had worked with. The 11 had a combined total of over 350 years of fighting fires at the busiest stations in the city.

I asked them all the same questions.

How many helmets and masks have you destroyed in your career, on one fire? One captain told me one helmet

In addition to cleaning and disinfection, certain items such as laryngoscope blade and handles should be fully sterilised using methods such as pressurised steam.

Consideration should also be given to disinfecting the interior air and surfaces of ambulances using ultraviolet radiation (UV) exposure.

The SANI 18 ambulance unit is a local product that offers such functionality.

Ambulance services should also strictly ensure that items such as cloths and mops used for cleaning ambulances and equipment are regularly disinfected and replaced.

A comprehensive guideline document on the cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation of healthcare equipment is available from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at www.cdc. gov/hicpac/Disinfection_Sterilization /3_4surfaceDisinfection.html.

and one mask, which happened in a flashover that also required skin grafts.

I then asked the question, what did you do, that allowed you to fight so many fires without damaging your gear. The overwhelming answer was, “Stayed low”!

Now that’s a unique idea. Stay under the heat and get it done! Be trained, Be safe!

Volume 3 | No 11

Fire protection association

Cape Winelands Fire Protection Association

Cape Winelands Fire Services produced an integrated fire management plan (IFMP) for the entire district

T

he Cape Winelands District Fire Services provide the delegated services to the entire district of approximately 22 390 square kilometres. These services include hazardous material (hazmat) and vegetation fires ie veld, forest and mountain fires. As such the district fire services recognised that a fully integrated approach between the fire service and landowners was critical in order to help prevent and mitigate the risk of vegetation fires.

(FPAs) that existed within the district.

The rationale for this approach was based on recommendations made by consultants of the GEF Fynbos Fire Programme, who were tasked at looking at the various measures required to protect the biodiversity of the fynbos biome, which is threatened due to frequent and uncontrolled fires.

to achieve a number of outcomes.

These include but are not limited to: • Sustainability • Standardisation • Better coordination between all relevant role-players • Better cooperation with relevant fire services, in this case between District Municipality Fire Services and landowners

One of the recommendations was that large FPAs be formed in order

The six registered FPAs within the Cape Winelands District and all except for

To this end the Cape Winelands Fire Services produced an integrated fire management plan (IFMP) for the entire district, which was completed in 2014. The IFMP covers all aspects of fire management such as protection, prevention and suppression. It is a complex framework that requires regular revisions as it is a ‘live document’ with many dynamic sections that change from season to season. The implementation and revision of this IFMP will be driven by the Winelands Fire Protection Association (WFPA).

At the same time an exhaustive process was followed to amalgamate a number of fire protection associations Volume 3 | No 11

Dale Nortje, manager; Huimari Franken, admin assistant; Henrietta Brock, operations assistant and CFO Danie Wilds, FPO FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 49

Fire protection association an operations assistant and a part time administrative assistant who deals with the financials. It is governed by the executive committee made up of elected FMU representatives and key office bearers as per the WFPA constitution.

Winelands FPA fire management units one, Breede Valley, agreed to deregister and join with the single large entity. The Winelands Fire Protection Association was finally registered on 11 November 2014, by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), who are the custodians of the National Veld and Forest Fire Act (No 101 of 1998), under which the FPAs are formed and governed.

The Winelands Fire Protection Association amalgamated the former Stellenbosch, Tulbach/Wolseley, Witzenburg, Ceres/Kouebokkeveld, Warmbokkeveld FPAs. The boundaries now encompass an area of 22 309ha making up large parts of the Cape Winelands District Municipality.

The entire process was monitored and fully supported by the Cape Winelands District Fire Services and its chief fire officer, Danie Wilds, was appointed as the fire protection officer (FPO) of the FPA. The portfolio council members and executive management of the district municipality also support the WFPA with its efforts. The fire services also host the Cape Winelands District Fire Workgroup, which comprises of members of various role player institutions such as Provincial Disaster Management, Cape Winelands Fire Services, CapeNature and WFPA members. This group meets at least three times per year and identifies various high fire risk areas and formalises the mitigation measures, which includes site-specific plans aimed at the rapid suppression response actions to deal with unwanted ignitions, in order to try and prevent runaway and devastating 50 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

wildfires. The Cape Winelands Fire Services contribute substantially to a number of the objectives set out in the IFMP such as assisting with the construction of strategic firebreaks and provision of fire fighting equipment in the form of 92 fully equipped water trailers distributed to various landowners throughout the district.

The appointed manager of the WFPA, Dale Nortje and the operations assistant, Henrietta Brock, have office facilities at the head office of the Cape Winelands District Fire Services in Stellenbosch, which allows for the close cooperation and coordination of various activities related to mitigation of risks associated with wildfires in the Cape Winelands.

The staff complement of the WFPA consists of three people; a manager,

Some of the key activities done through the WFPA are the coordination of issuing of burn permits, which allows for the reduction of unwanted fuel loads through controlled burning operations.

Another is the coordinating of member`s fire fighting resources and distribution of information at large or complex incidents, where incident command teams are deployed. The daily FDIs are distributed throughout the fire season and are posted on the website regularly.

The WFPA is divided into a number of fire management units (FMUs), which primarily are the old FPAs where they existed. Then, depending on the size these, are further broken down into wards that are typically areas of groups of member landowners within a specific geographic area. The main reason for this is similar land use practices, typical farmers associations, conservancies and so on. An example of wards within the Stellenbosch FMU is shown below. These FMUs are, wherever possible, aligned to local municipal boundaries, to simplify the functions of structure protection should a large fire occur.

As this is a relatively new FPA with a very lean management structure, the main focus has been on sorting out the basics

The FPA’s boundaries encompass an area of 22 309ha Volume 3 | No 11

Fire protection association number of ignitions, which is currently not happening within the Cape Winelands District.

Cape Winelands FPA manager, Dale Nortje such as consolidating the areas and encouraging members to form their own structures to deal with day to day issues and elect representatives to serve on the executive and ward committees etc. A single data base of member details has also been completed and linked to an invoicing system. Portable hand-held radios were also purchased in order to ensure communication between members and the incident command team during larger fires.

There is also an ongoing drive for new membership, which currently stands at just over 500 members. A WFPA website has been developed and went live in December 2015.

active member of the Provincial Fire Workgroup. In the Western Cape, the Umbrella FPA is not in any way active in any fire suppression operations at any level currently. Each of the five FPAs works directly with their respective role-players namely the district or local fire services and their members.

The FPA coordinated a fair amount of training for its members through funding that it received through the GEF Fynbos Fire programme during 2015. Three main courses were run through accredited training providers namely, Basic Fire Fighting for labourers, Incident Command (IC) Type 5 (the old fireboss level 1) and Prescribed Burning for owners/managers of farms.

This proved to be successful and further courses will be scheduled this year in the period when landowners and their staff are available. Further training will also be offered on incident command system (ICS) to raise the awareness and understanding of how incidents are managed, as most members do not understand the system and methodology.

On average there are 1 200 to 1 500 fires reported annually but last year there were 1 784 reported, with a total area in excess of 50 000 hectares burnt.

This was quite a significant increase and the majority of fires are as a result of human activities, from cooking fires around worker houses on farms to deliberately started fires from members of certain communities. The reason for this behaviour is unclear but many times it is to ‘see the show’ of fire vehicles and aircraft used for suppression. The losses to livelihoods through damage to agriculture and associated industries runs into many millions as well annually.

If one had to look at the statistics of number of reported fires, it seems that the awareness programmes are not really successful and as such all parties involved need to get together in order to align and coordinate the awareness efforts. The true test of success can only be measured in a reduction in the

The WFPA is a member of the Western Cape Umbrella Fire Protection Association as well as being an 52 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

As the region is a winter rainfall area, the fire season runs from November to May, with the highest risk period being January to March, when highest temperatures and lowest humidity are recorded. This is also typically the windy period when the hot, dry South Easterly winds prevail.

There is a good working relationship between the district fire services and the WFPA and the benefits of being a member of the FPA are slowly becoming more and more apparent to landowners. However, one of the challenges is to convince landowners to join as they see the responsibility of fire fighting being the sole responsibility of the fire services. Luckily, there is a wellequipped fire service within the Cape Winelands District but these resources are often stretched to the limit when large or multiple fires occur within the region, thus landowners will have to start seriously taking responsibility as prescribed in the NVFFA. Another challenge is ‘who should we train’ as the fire season falls in the critical time of harvesting activities, thus all farming personnel most of whom are seasonal, focus on that job and are not available to assist in fire fighting operations unless it occurs directly on their property. One option that is being instituted is to develop well trained and equipped contract teams that focus on all aspects of integrated fire management both preventative and suppressive within a geographic area. This will be funded by groups of landowners, thus making the teams available as a rapid response, initial attack resource in the fire season and will engage in fuel reduction and firebreak construction and maintenance activities for the rest of the year. This model is already being developed and will hopefully be implemented shortly in the Franschoek Ward of the Stellenbosch FMU as a pilot project.

This FPA is an example of how proper integrated fire management can be implemented within a district, where all relevant role players, both public and private, work together to achieve the commonly agreed objectives of the integrated fire management plan (IFMP). The expectations are that this working relationship will mature and grow from strength to strength as the membership grows and larger areas are covered. For any further information one can go onto the website www.winelandsfpa.co.za.

Volume 3 | No 11

Leadership

Fire fighter code of ethics

By Wayne Bailey

T

he fire service is a noble calling, one which is founded on mutual respect and trust between fire fighters and the citizens they serve. To ensure the continuing integrity of the fire service, the highest standards of ethical conduct must be maintained at all times.

Developed in response to the publication of the USA’s Fire Service Reputation Management White Paper, the purpose of this National Fire Fighter Code of Ethics is to establish criteria that encourage fire service personnel to promote a culture of ethical integrity and high standards of professionalism in our field. The broad scope of this recommended Code of Ethics is intended to mitigate and negate situations that may result in embarrassment and waning of public support for what has historically been a highly respected profession.

Ethics comes from the Greek word ethos, meaning character. Character is not necessarily defined by how a person behaves when conditions are optimal and life is good. It is easy to take the high road when the path is paved and obstacles are few or non-existent.

Character is also defined by decisions made under pressure, when no one is looking, when the road contains land mines and the way is obscured. As members of the fire service, we share a responsibility to project an ethical character of professionalism, integrity, compassion, loyalty and honesty in all that we do, all of the time.

We need to accept this ethics challenge and be truly willing to maintain a culture that is consistent with the expectations outlined in this document. By doing so, we can create a legacy that validates and sustains the distinguished fire service institution and at the same time ensure that we leave the fire service in better condition than when we arrived.

Fire Fighter Code of Ethics I understand that I have the responsibility to conduct myself in a Volume 3 | No 11

manner that reflects proper ethical behaviour and integrity. In so doing, I will help foster a continuing positive public perception of the fire service.

Therefore, I pledge the following…

• Always conduct myself, on and off duty, in a manner that reflects positively on myself, my department and the fire service in general.

• Accept responsibility for my actions and for the consequences of my actions.

• Support the concept of fairness and the value of diverse thoughts and opinions.

• Avoid situations that would adversely affect the credibility or public perception of the fire service profession.

• Be truthful and honest at all times\ and report instances of cheating or other dishonest acts that compromise the integrity of the fire service.

• Conduct my personal affairs in a manner that does not improperly influence the performance of my duties or bring discredit to my organisation.

• Be respectful and conscious of each member’s safety and welfare.

• Recognise that I serve in a position of public trust that requires stewardship in the honest and efficient use of publicly owned resources, including uniforms, facilities, vehicles and equipment and that these are protected from misuse and theft.

• Exercise professionalism, competence, respect and loyalty in the performance of my duties and use information, confidential

Wayne Bailey or otherwise, gained by virtue of my position, only to benefit those I am entrusted to serve.

• Avoid financial investments, outside employment, outside business interests or activities that conflict with or are enhanced by my official position or have the potential to create the perception of impropriety.

• Never propose or accept personal rewards, special privileges, benefits, advancement, honours or gifts that may create a conflict of interest or the appearance thereof.

• Never engage in activities involving alcohol or other substance use or abuse that can impair my mental state or the performance of my duties and compromise safety.

• Never discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, creed, age, marital status, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual preference, medical condition or handicap.

• Never harass, intimidate or threaten fellow members of the service or the public and stop or report the actions of other fire fighters who engage in such behaviours.

• Responsibly use social networking, electronic communications or other media technology opportunities in a manner that does not discredit, dishonour or embarrass my organisation, the fire service and the public. I also understand that failure to resolve or report inappropriate use of this media equates to condoning this behaviour.

Developed by the National Society of Executive Fire Officers FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 53

Heritage

The Staff of Asclepius of Hermes with deliverance and redemption. However, its use during the last two centuries seems to lack substantial historical background. The historical, mythological and traditional retrospection of the snake’s symbolism validates its appropriateness in the health-care field.

T

The Staff of Asclepius

he background to the Staff (or rod) of Asclepius is not well-known. However, it is used regularly in conjunction with the Star of Life, a blue, six-pointed star, outlined with a white border, which features the Staff of Asclepius in the centre.

Traditionally in the United States the Star of Life was used as a stamp of authentication or certification for ambulances, paramedics or other emergency services (EMS) personnel.

Internationally, it represents emergency medical services units and personnel.

The snake has served as a medical emblem for more than 2 400 years, since its association with the ancient Greek god of medicine and healing, Asclepius, in the 4th century BC. Its symbolic background can be traced further back to the worship of gods of earth’s blossom in ancient Egypt and earthrelated deities of the archaic period of Greek antiquity. It is featured entwined around a staff of knowledge and wisdom in most anaglyphs depicting Asclepius. The snake was impressed in the Old and the New Testament as well as in the Christian tradition as a symbol of sin, rejuvenation, death, resurrection, asthenia and therapy.

It is suggested that the doublesnake motif, the Staff of Caduceus, was reintroduced by Renaissance philosophers as a medical emblem due to the symbolic connections 54 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

The Staff of Asclepius takes its name from the god Asclepius, a deity associated with healing and medicinal arts in Greek mythology. Asclepius’s attributes, the snake and the staff, sometimes depicted separately in antiquity, are combined in this symbol.

Asclepius was the Greek god of medicine. In Greek mythology he was the son of Apollo (god of light, truth and prophecy) and the nymph Coronis. The centaur Chiron taught him the art of healing. Homer, in The Iliad, mentions him only as the skilled or “peerless physician” and further identifies him as the father of Podaleirus and Machaeon, physicians to the Greeks in the Trojan War. In later times, however, he was honoured as a hero and eventually worshipped as a god.

The cult of Asclepius began in Thessaly but spread to many parts of Greece.

Since it was supposed that he effected cures or prescribed remedies to the sick in dreams, the practice of sleeping in his temples became common.

In honour of Asclepius, a particular type of non-venomous snake was often used in healing rituals and these snakes – the Aesculapian snakes –

The Staff of Caduceus crawled around freely on the floor in dormitories where the sick and injured slept. These snakes were introduced at the founding of each new temple of Asclepius throughout the classical world. From about 300 BC onwards, the cult of Asclepius grew very popular and pilgrims flocked to his healing temples (Asclepieia) to be cured of their ills.

Asclepius was frequently represented standing, dressed in a long cloak, with bare breast; his usual attribute was the staff with a serpent coiled around it. The staff is the only true symbol of medicine.

The Caduceus with its winged staff and intertwined serpents, used as a medical emblem by the Military Medical Corps and some physicians, is without medical relevance in its origin since it represents the magic wand of Hermes (in Greek mythology a deity; herald and messenger of the gods; gods of roads, commerce, invention, cunning and theft; patron of traders and rogues and conductor of the dead to Hades) and Mercury of Roman mythology, often identified with Hermes, who served also as messenger to the other gods and was god of commerce, travel and thievery.

Other significant reference to the serpent on a staff associated with healing is as follows: “Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he recovered.”

Numbers 21:9

The Star of Life

Hippocratic Oath The original Hippocratic Oath began with the invocation “I swear by Apollo the Physician and by Asclepius and

by Hygieia and Panacea and by all the gods ...”

Volume 3 | No 11

What’s on?

2016 March 1 - 3 March 2016 SECUREX West Africa 2016 With exhibitors attending from around the globe alongside the top level local companies, Securex West Africa is an opportunity for visitors to find out what is happening in the international market and see the latest technology innovations and services.

Venue: The Landmark Events Centre,

Lagos, Nigeria For more information visit: www.securexwestafrica.com/ 1 – 4 March 2016 SIPS South Russia 2016 Security and Fire Safety Exhibition in South Russia.

SIPS /Protection is designed to be an industry event for the demonstration of brand new security and fire safety equipment and technologies Venue: Krasnodar, Russia For more information visit: www.sips-expo.ru/en-GB 1 - 3 March 2016 Fire and security Pakistan 2016 The expo provides an opportunity for international safety and security equipment manufacturers to reap the benefits from this potential market.

It brings together major international and local exhibitors to display the latest technology, innovations and advancement of internal security, fire fighting, policing, emergency and rescue, transport safety.

Venue: Pak-China Friendship Centre,

Islamabad, Pakistan For more information visit: www.safesecurepakistan.com/ 8 - 10 March 2016 Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Conference From education and mitigation, suppression strategies, high-hazard operations to policy, and including 40,000 square feet of exhibits, WUI addresses the toughest challenges facing the wildland firefighting community Venue: Reno, Nevada, USA For more information visit: www.iafc.org/wui 15 - 17 March 2016 Fire fighting Middle East (FFME) This is the Gulf’s premier event designed for fire and rescue professionals in the public and private sectors. Supported by UAE Civil Defence, it is the definitive meeting place for the region’s firefighting community, sharing best practice, establishing new connections and sourcing the latest tools and technologies in firefighting, rescue, first response and public safety.

Venue: Adnec, Abu Dhabi For more information visit: http://isnrabudhabi.com/Portal/visit /visit-ffme-2016.aspx 21-23 March 2016 International Emergency and Catastrophe Management Conference and Exhibition (IECM) The objective of the IECM 2016 is to contribute towards the capacity building of the responders during an emergency situation.

The event will focus on issues faced during emergencies through new practices, methodologies, case studies which will be discussed by experts from the field Venue: Dubai International Convention and

Exhibition Centre, United Arab

Emirates For more information visit: www.emergency.ae/ 22 - 23 March 2016 Aerial Fire fighting International 2016

Volume 3 | No 11

Costly and life threatening wildfires continue to afflict many parts of the world. The causes are many and varied but combating each benefits from our shared advances in technology and operating techniques. Now in its fourth year of drought, California reflects the imperatives of winning the battle against the elements.

Venue: Sacramento, California, USA For more information visit: http://tangentlink.com/event/ aerial-firefighting-international-2016/

April 5 – 6 April 2016 Emergency Expo 2016 Emergency expo offers a new and multidisciplinary platform for all parties involved in disaster management, risk management and crisis management Venue: Rotterdam, Netherlands For more information visit: http://www.emergencyexpo.nl/ 6 – 8 April 2016 First French Rescue Challenge Venue: La Rochelle, France For more information visit: www.wrescue.org/ 13 – 15 April 2016 Aips Almaty 2016 Kazakhstan international trade show for protection, security, rescue and fire safety Venue: Almaty, Kazakhstan For more information visit: http://aips.kz/en 14 – 17 April 2016 MIPS – 22nd Moscow International Protection, Security and Fire Safety Exhibition MIPS / Securika is the largest exhibition of security and fire protection equipment and products in Russia Venue: Moscow, Russia For more information visit: www.securika-moscow.ru/en-GB/ 18 – 23 April 2016 FDIC - Fire Departments Instructors Conference 2016 With the largest gathering of decision makers, trainers and experts, as well as manufacturers and suppliers, FDIC serves as a spearhead for networking and relationship development Venue: Indianapolis, USA For more information visit: www.fdic.com/index.html 20 - 21 April 2016 FIREPROTECT 2016 Symposium and exhibition Venue: Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH,

Stuttgart, Germany For more information visit: www.mesago.de/de/fireprotec/home/ 20 – 23 April 2016 International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) 2014 Annual Conference Venue: Doha, Qatar For more information visit: www.ifsac.org 25 – 28 April 2016 8th International Seminar on Fire and Explosion Hazards Venue: Hefei, China For more information visit: http://www.isfeh.org.cn/dct/page/1

May 2 May 2016 The Mountain Club of South Africa and Wilderness Search and Rescue The Mountain Club of South Africa and

Wilderness Search and Rescue in conjunction with members of the International Committee for Alpine Rescue Medical Commission will be presenting a Mountain Medicine Workshop.

Venue: Cape Town, South Africa For more information visit: https://form.myjotform.com/60283467234557 1 – 5 May 2016 The 23rd Annual Xtreme Industrial Fire and Hazard Training Williams Fire and Hazard Control presents its annual XTREME Industrial Fire and Hazard training event which focuses on flammable liquids fire response tactics and equipment applications including transportable largevolume water supply and delivery logistics, foam and dry chemical applications Venue: Beaumont, Texas, USA For more information visit: www.williamsfire.com/ 1 – 30 May 2016 Fire and safety expo Korea 2016 Trade exhibition Venue: Daegu, South Korea For more information visit: www.fireexpo.co.kr/eng/index.asp 2 – 6 May 2016 2016 Pacific Northwest fire investigators conference This conference offers an understanding of fire investigation from basic fire investigation to elevated fire origins and allows one to complete certification testing during the course of the conference Venue: TBA For more information visit: www.nwfire.org 4 May 2016 International Fire Fighters Day For more information visit: www.firefightersday.org 21-25 May 2016 Fire-Rescue Med (FRM) Fire-Rescue Med is a conference for fire-based EMS leaders, including new and aspiring chiefs, providing education and training on hiring and retaining EMTs, public and private integration challenges, embracing technology, billing for services, illness prevention programs and more Venue: Henderson, Nevada, USA For more information visit: www.iafc.org/frm 24 - 26 May 2016 Securex and A-OSH Expo Securex will be the largest and most comprehensive show of its kind in Africa and the only show exclusively dedicated to the very latest developments in security, safety, fire and protection.

Venue: Gallagher Convention Centre,

Johannesburg, South Africa Contact: Joshua Low

Email: joshual@specialised.com 24 – 27 May 2016 2016 Water Rescue Seminar Presentations are currently planned to review lessons learned from actual incidents that have happened in bodies of water around the world. Learn how to safely and effectively plan, prepare and implement a full-scale water rescue exercise to ensure your organisation is prepared to manage this extremely challenging response Venue: Westin Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts,

USA For more information visit: http://arffwg.org/2016-water-rescue-seminar/

FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL | 55

Poem

Paramedics When God made paramedics, he was into his sixth day of overtime.

An angel appeared and said. “You’re doing a lot of fiddling around on this one.”

God said, “Have you read the specs on this order?

A paramedic has to be able to carry an injured person up a wet grassy hill in the dark, dodge stray bullets to reach a dying child unharmed, enter homes the health inspector wouldn’t touch and not wrinkle his uniform.”

“He has to be able to lift three times his own weight. Crawl into wrecked cars with barely enough room to move, and console a grieving mother as he is doing CPR on a baby he knows will never breathe again.”

“He has to be in top mental condition at all times, running on no sleep, black coffee and half eaten meals and has to have six pairs of hands.”

The angel shook her head slowly and said, “six pairs of hands………no way.”

“It’s not the hands that are causing me problems,” God replied.

“It’s the three pairs of eyes a medic has to have.”

“That’s on the standard model?” The angel asked.

God nodded. “One pair that sees open sores as he is drawing blood, always wondering if the patient is HIV positive.” (When he already knows and wishes he’d taken that accounting job.)

“Another pair here in the side of his head for his partner’s safety and another pair of eyes in front that can look reassuringly at a bleeding victim and say, “You will be alright ma’am,” when he knows it isn’t so.

“Lord,” said the angel, touching his sleeve, “rest and work on this tomorrow.”

“I can’t.” God replied.

“I already have a model that can take a 250 pound drunk out from behind a steering wheel without incident and feed a family of five on a private service pay check.

The angel circled the model of the paramedic very slowly.

“Can it think?” she asked.

“You bet,” God said.

“It can tell you symptoms of 100 illnesses, recite drug calculations asleep, intubate, defibrillate, medicate and continue CPR nonstop over terrain that any doctor would fear…. and it still has sense of humour.”

“This medic also has phenomenal personal control.”

He can deal with a multi-victim trauma, coax a frightened elderly person to unlock their door, comfort a murder victim‘s family and then read in the daily paper how paramedics were unable to locate a house quickly enough, allowing the person to die because the house had no street sign, no number or no phone to call back.”

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the paramedic. “There’s a leak,” she pronounced.

“I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model.”

“That’s not a leak.” God replied “It is a tear.”

“What’s the tear for?” the angel asked.

“It is for bottled up emotions, for patients they’ve tried to save, for commitment to that hope that they will make a difference in a person’s chance to survive, for life.”

“You’re a genius!” The angel said.

God looked sombre.

“I did not put it there” he said.

Author unknown Poem submitted by Etienne Putter of South African Emergency Care (SAEC) 56 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL

Volume 3 | No 11

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