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The Richmond Fire Protection Association has been established as per the National Veld and Forest Fire Act 101of 1998. We are registered with DAAF as a Fire Protection Association.
Operating an FPA efficiently requires landowner participation in order to deliver tangible benefits. The FPA does not necessarily do the physical fire fighting for members, but provides support services . Such as 24 Hr Dispatch/ Call centre for all emergencies or back up assistance , Co-ordination of back up assistance, Weather information, the issuing of alerts for bad days and no burning days, burning permits during local and national fire probations’ but according to rules and regulations of local FPA. Assistance with Fire Break Agreements between neighbours as per Chapter 4 of act 101 of 1998. Mediation on disputes between neighbours about fire breaks and burning of breaks, Advice on fire breaks and burning. Policing of unlawful firebreaks and burning violations. This is so important with the terrible devastation we had last year due to negligent landowners and communities.
Rules and regulations will be implemented during the fire season and it is imperative that landowners acquaint themselves with the rules and abide by them and also the rules issued by the Government gazette with regards burning and prohibitions . The FPA through the Fire Protection Officer will enforce the rules and regulations and help the members to know and understand the rules and regulations and their liabilities. The FPA will conduct audits on equipment, landowner readiness to fight fires and on firebreaks. They will issue warning letters to non-complying members or offending landowners. Even if you are not a member you have to comply with the rules and regulations of the FPA in the area. They will have information sessions on new technology and equipment available for preventing and fighting fires.
The FPA management structure is made up of an Executive committee with a chairman and a committee drawn from the various landowner groups in the area. The Fire Protection Officer is busy with building a Data base of all landowners in the area, this data base includes all contact details and resources available in the area to assist in event of fires or Emergencies. The response from the landowners has generally been positive in the area as they see that a strong FPA will be of benefit to the area. The Richmond area has been divided into 4 areas (wards) and each area has a ward leader to assist the FPO in his duties, and to help with coordinating assistance in the area. The Dispatch / Call centre will be in Radio link with the ward leaders and FPO in order to assist where necessary.
As an FPA we have also embarked on an Awareness Campaign in conjunction with Working On Fire’s, Firewise Community Project to conduct awareness days in the Rural communities and schools in the area, on the dangers of bad burning practices and bee removal. Hopefully this will cut down on the number of fires that come across from the rural areas onto farms. The aim is to make the communities aware of the dangers and to be proactive in stopping people doing indiscriminant burning especially on Orange and Red days .These days are run through the FPA and with the assistance of the WOF media liaison and reaction teams , who conduct the awareness training.
We held a very successful awareness day at Kwa Gengshe on a Saturday attended by Kwa Gengshe, Mzini Illovo and Tholeni communities. This event was one of the first of its kind in Kwa Zulu and stems from a training day attended last year . We had an awareness morning with Zanele from WOF and myself giving talks on how to protect their properties using fire breaks and keeping a low fuel load around their homes, and choosing the right days to burn. Committees will be formed in each area, and we handed out 30 fire beaters to the different communities so as to assist them with Equipment to be able to burn safely. This project will be rolled out to all the communities in the area. We had over 250 people who attended and afterwards we had wors rolls and games in the afternoon. The winning teams received soccer and net ball kits. This was all sponsored by WOF. This was all done under the auspices of the FPA so we had good exposure in the communities. The various corporate company liaison people were present and explained that they were working with and supporting the FPA in these projects. Thank you to all who assisted in this day
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