{"id":6673,"date":"2012-01-05T01:17:02","date_gmt":"2012-01-04T23:17:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/01\/citys-public-awareness-campaign-to-reduce-fires-continues\/"},"modified":"2012-01-05T01:17:02","modified_gmt":"2012-01-04T23:17:02","slug":"citys-public-awareness-campaign-to-reduce-fires-continues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/citys-public-awareness-campaign-to-reduce-fires-continues\/","title":{"rendered":"City\u2019s public awareness campaign to reduce fires continues"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

The City of Cape Town\u2019s intensive public awareness and preparedness campaign to highlight the dangers of fires and teach communities how to prevent them is well underway. <\/p>\n

The summer season in Cape Town is recognised as a high fire risk period that particularly affects residents living in vulnerable communities.<\/p>\n

At the launch of the campaign on 20 December 2011, Alderman J.P. Smith, the City\u2019s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, said, \u201cThe City of Cape Town has reached the point where, in order to effectively combat the scourge of fires, other measures must be taken over and above investing in the Fire and Rescue Services.\u201d <\/p>\n

The City\u2019s Disaster Risk Management Centre and Fire and Rescue Services explored various responses to the problem before deciding on a strategy that focusses on five key elements \u2013 \u2018Education and Awareness, Emergency Preparedness, Engineering and Technology investments, Enforcement and Rehabilitation\u2019.<\/p>\n

The City\u2019s Disaster Risk Management Centre, Fire and Rescue Services, Human Settlements, law enforcement agencies and other departments embarked on the strategy to mitigate the occurrence of devastating fires. <\/p>\n

\u201cOver the last few years there has been a steady decrease in the number of informal dwelling units that were destroyed as a result of fires in informal settlements \u2013 from 8 864 destroyed in 2005 to 3 009 in 2010. The number of fatalities due to fires in informal structures, however, remains unchanged and is cause for concern,\u201d said Alderman Smith. <\/p>\n

The City is engaging with high-risk communities and educating them in fire safety awareness. Residents and communities must, however, also accept their responsibility to reduce the risk of fires. The majority of shack fires are as a result of irresponsible behaviour. <\/p>\n

The campaign is part of the City\u2019s commitment to create a Safe City and Caring City for all its residents. <\/p>\n

Details of the remaining information sessions dates\/times\/venues are as follows.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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