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Emergency Communications

8 August 2020 Severe Weather Alert: Damaging Winds

The Cape Town Weather Office has issued the following weather alert.

Hazard: Damaging Winds

Alert level: Watch
Valid from (SAST): 08/08/20 – 12h00
Valid to (SAST): 09/08/20 – 00h00

A Gale force NW wind (62 to 74km/h) is expected between Cape Point and Cape Agulhas and over the Central Karoo (Western Cape) tomorrow(08/08/2020).

ADVISORY
1.Strong (50-65km/h) north westerly winds are expected over the interior of the Western Cape on Saturday and Sunday (08-09/08/2020).
2.Strong to near gale force (60-70km/h) north westerly winds are expected between Lamberts Bay and Cape Point on Saturday (08/08/2020) but strong to gale force (65-80km/h) westerly to south-westerly between Cape Point and Plettenberg Bay overnight into Sunday (09/08/2020).

DESCRIPTION: Dangerous veld/bush fire conditions

Whenever there are prolonged periods of little and no rain coupled with warm dry winds, veldt or bush fires can easily be sparked and will spread rapidly in strong winds.

PRECAUTIONS: Dangerous veld/bush fire conditions

Don’t make fires in the open and/or leave fires unattended. Don’t throw cigarette butts out of cars or in the open veldt. Don’t throw bottles in the veldt as they can magnify the sun’s rays and start fires. Prepare and maintain fire breaks in controlled manner. In the case of a large fire report it immediately and move away from the area to let the professionals deal with it. Never throw water onto a fire started by an electrical fault or fires started by oil or paraffin lamps. In this case sand or a blanket should be used to smother the fire. Listen to the radio or TV for warnings and obey the instructions from disaster management officers.

Report any severe weather incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at: 044- 805 5071

#SevereWeatherAlert #GardenRouteDM #StaySafe

2 June 2020 GRDM Disaster Management Call Centre Operators play their part during lockdown

While South Africans welcome the phased easing of lockdown restrictions to alert level 3 of the five-tier lockdown system as from Monday 1 June, this action simply means that business as usual continues for those officials who have been working as essential workers during the lockdown period.

Among these are call centre operators of the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Disaster Management Emergency Call Centre who work as frontline staff, 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week.  These officials provide a supporting function to essential services providers, by answering general inquiries and emergency calls relating to Emergency Medical Services (EMS); accidents, fires and floods in the Garden Route region, and lately to a large extent, COVID-19 inquiries.

The GRDM Call Centre team consists of four (4) permanent and two (2) temporary operators who work 12 hour shifts at a time, dealing with a volume of ± 2700 – 3000 calls per month.  The well-trained and professional officials are known to perform their daily operations with high integrity and efficiency, providing accurate and reliable information to clients.

According to Mr Gerhard Otto, Manager of the GRDM Disaster Management Centre, “these officials are our unsung heroes who in these very difficult and uncertain times, are required to provide answers and direction to the Garden Route public whom they serve. The GRDM Covid-19 Command Centre continuously to provide operators with frequently updated information, in order for operators to address a myriad of enquiries directed to them as front-line call centre staff,” said Mr Otto.

The Council and management of the GRDM would like to acknowledge all employees and especially the essential workers who have showed great commitment and endurance during the past lockdown level 5 and 4.

“Public service must be more than doing a job efficiently and honestly.  It must be a complete dedication to the people and to the nation.’’   – Margaret Chase Smith