GEORGE NEWS - The Wilderness Ratepayers and Residents Association (WRRA) calls for volunteers to participate in a fire management unit (FMU) they are launching in Wilderness. 

Ever since the June fires highlighted big vulnerabilities for fire in the Garden Route, the WRRA have been actively working toward setting up an effective fire prevention programme.

The FMU has two prime objectives, namely to create task teams which will actively work on reducing the risk of fire in Wilderness, and to form a unit which will, in conjunction with George Fire Department, manage all local activities necessary to fight a fire.

Considerable interest has already been generated in Wilderness Heights through the local Heights Infoshare WhatsApp Group, and the FMU will be piloted there.

Volunteers must please send their names, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers to jeccles@vodamail.co.za, or SMS to 082 456 1334.

For more about the WRRA and its projects, e-mail to wrra@tiscali.co.za.

After four presentations and meetings held by the Southern Cape Fire Protection Association, role players are agreed that an overarching plan is needed for the Wilderness area, and have determined the following:

1. A Fire Management Unit (FMU) will be established in Wilderness, with a satellite (pilot) unit in Wilderness Heights due to its specific location, and current urgency.
2. The FMU is a comprehensive body, with its main objective to prevent fires in the area, and implement actions which will assist in fighting fires in the event of a fire.
3. Some, or all, of the FMU members will be called upon to create a team which will assist the Fire Department in fighting a fire, and the composition of this team is detailed in the schedule prepared by Barry Smales
4. Volunteers will be called for through at least three avenues: WRRA's circulation list, SCFPA's membership list of people living in Wilderness and Heights Infoshare. If other routes are identified, they will be added.
5. Once a critical mass of interested people have come forward, a meeting will be set up involving all the key players.
6. Volunteers can send their names, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers to jeccles@vodamail.co.za, or SMS to 082 456 1334.

The FMU team which would be active in assisting the Fire Department in the event of a fire will be comprised of the following roles:

• FMU Coordinator: the link to the Fire Department in George. Also responsible for gathering the necessary local information, including, but not limited to, water supply areas, location of fire hydrants, homes of those likely to require assistance in an emergency, absentee land owners, etc. This individual would most likely be the coordinator of teams working on preventing fires, and also the link person to SCFPA.
• Joint Operations Control Manager: will identify suitable premises for a control centre, open it in the event of a disaster, set out tables, maps, charts etc, and coordinate operations and logistics over the duration of the emergency.
• Logistics officer: will make note of all water, cool drinks and food donations and distribute same in conjunction with the Fire Department.
• WhatsApp Group representative: the only source of reliable information regarding the fire is to come from this person for distribution.
• Traffic Control officials: to control traffic of private people in and around the disaster so as not to hinder the movement of the Fire Department or any other official vehicles.
• Back-up Fire Control units: people with Bakkie Sakkies who can help the fire and disaster departments.
• Liaison people: will travel with the Fire Department to assist in road layouts, help regulate traffic, determine and check positions of fire hydrants and their readiness, identify main areas, and to aid fire department as required.
• Bakkie owners: to assist with evacuation of people and their possessions, including pets.

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