GRDM Firefighters present Fire Safety and Fire Prevention educational sessions to Garden Routers

For Immediate Release
12 April 2022

During the last few weeks the Fire & Rescue Services of the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) conducted several fire awareness sessions within Garden Route district to educate residents about the dangers of fire as well as the prevention of unwanted fires.

GRDM Firefighters presents the Fire & Life Safety session to learners at Heidedal Primary School.

On the 23 March 2022, the team visited the Heidedal Primary School in George to present a Fire and Life Safety educational session to the learners from Grade R and Grade 1. The team also conducted a Fire Extinguisher Training Session at the Caltex Petrol Station in Wilderness of which five (5) participants formed part of the session. In closing their educational activities for March, the George team, on the 30 March , visited a larger group of forty-eight (48) learners from Ballotsview in Parkdene, to present a Fire and Life session to the “Speel en Leersentrum”.

GRDM Firefighting team conducts Fire Extinguisher Training Session at the Caltex Petrol Station.

It was also an eventful month for the GRDM Kannaland Firefighting team, as they conducted training and fire safety sessions at various establishments within the Kannaland area. The sessions presented by the team, include the following:

• 16/03/2022 – Emergency Evacuation Training presented to learners and staff of E.K Primary School at their school in Zoar.
• 23/03/2022 – An Emergency Evacuation exercise at Huis Izak Van Tonder Old Age Home presented to the staff and elders at their premises in Ladismith.
• 23/03/2022 – Fire Extinguisher Training to the staff of Huis Izak Van Tonder Old Age Home at their premises in Ladismith.
• 30/03/2022 – Fire Extinguisher Training presented to staff of Huis Izak Van Tonder Old Age Home at their premises in Ladismith.

All sessions were well received as the firefighters and facilitators used practical methods to ensure that toddlers, learners and participants remained interest in the topics that were discussed and demonstrated.

Learners from the ‘Speel en Leersentrum’ during their session presented by the GRDM Firefighters.

These continuous initiatives form part of the GRDM Fire Services’ Fire Prevention and Fire Safety functions. Whilst the focus is placed on rural communities, businesses and schools within the residential areas are also assisted upon request.

Some of the Fire Safety tips shared at the sessions include:

1. Do not make drum fires in your house, and if done, please ensure that the fires are extinguished before going to bed.
2. Continue to burn rubbish and debris in designated areas.
3. Do not make large ‘bond’ fires in between informal houses especially when winds are prevailing as the conduction and radiation of heat happen easily from one structure to another.

ENDS