Leading fire equipment supplier and subsidiary of the Rovic group of companies, SafeQuip, is spearheading an initiative to try and prevent the disastrous consequences of veld fires when they occur next to townships. SafeQuip has donated 20 fire extinguishers to volunteer fire-fighting groups in Masiphumelele and Khayelitsha in Cape Town so that the teams can fight fires as they start. If the programme is successful in reducing township fires, the plan is to roll out the solution across the country.
In May this year 1 500 informal houses were destroyed by the fire that raced through Masiphumelele. In the disaster, fire-fighters were unable to drive their fire trucks between the buildings due to the narrow streets and alleys, so they could not reach the heart of the fire. Residents are unable to fight the fires themselves as the normal water pressure in a residential area is too low to be of any effect in a fire.
SafeQuip also supplies the smaller, portable FireKing fire-fighting units which can be mounted on the back of a bakkie to access narrow township streets and drive over open veld.
The company’s home fire safety kit is another tool to help fight fires in the home. It contains a battery-powered smoke alarm, a fire blanket and a mini fire extinguisher, all in a box.
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