2.5. Objective of this plan 3 2.6. Our key goals 3 2.7. Our partners 4 2.8. Beneficiaries of our services and activities. 4 3. Legislative framework governing what we do 4 4. Provincial Monitoring and oversight 5 5. Where we currently are 5 5.1. Wild fires 5 5.2. Fires in our informal settlements 5 5.3. The Petrochemical Industry 6 5.4. Municipal structures 6 5.5. Community support 6 5.6. Recruitment and retention 6 5.7. Training and equipment 6 5.8. Fire Prevention 6 5.9. Funding 7 5.10. Mutual aid and outside resources 7 6. Our institutional capacity 7 6.1. Strengths 7 6.2. Weaknesses 7 6.3. Opportunities 7 6.4. Threats 7 7. Where do we want to be 8 8. Complaints and corrective action 9 9. Communicating this plan 9 10. Contact us 9 References and acknowledgements 10 Annexure A: Proposed development of our organisational capacity 11 Annexure B: Fire Brigade Services Strategic Initiatives summary 12 Annexure C: Implementation Matrix 13 Who we are We are a sub-directorate within the Chief Directorate Disaster Management and Fire Brigade Services in the Department of Local Government of the Provincial Government of the Western Cape. Diagram 1: Our current structure What we do
Promulgate provincial fire regulations. Formalized the links between the Department of Social Development and local authority Fire Brigade Services in an attempt to align strategy aimed at the prevention of fires at old age care facilities. Sponsored development of a formal Fire Prevention Program in the District Municipalities and Municipalities without any designated fire service. Annual Fire Awareness campaign. Fully functional Provincial PIER workgroup by 2013. Expand public awareness campaigns to focus more on identified high risk groups, such as: Informal settlements, Old age and care facilities and other communities at risk. Goal 2 - Protection Aim: Improve local planning and preparedness. Strategic Initiative 3: Provincial Incident and Statistical reporting system. Operational deliverables. Petrochemical Fire Risk assessment. Identified Provincial Relative Fire Risk. Centralized Provincial Data Reporting Process. Collaborate on the development of Geographic Information Systems incorporating SANS 10090:2003: Community Protection against fire. Goal 3 - Response Aim: Improve the fire and rescue services capability to respond to all hazards. Strategic Initiative 4: Emergency Preparedness. Strategic Initiative 5: Preparedness monitoring. Strategic Initiative 6: Cooperation and support. Operational Deliverables. 120 Trained USAR Technicians by 2015. Fully functional and constituted Hazardous Materials Workgroup by 2013. Functional link formalised with Department of Labour.(Local Planning Committee) Formalised Cooperative agreements with Municipal Fire and Rescue services for the operation of the Western Cape Provincial Special Operations unit responsible for Urban Search & Rescue. A formalised mass mobilisation agreement to ensure that resources become available during major wild land fires. Annual aerial fire fighting MOU and contract. Provincial wide Incident Command System. Develop new approaches to evaluate the effectiveness of fire services, recommend alternatives, and ensure achievement of program goals and objectives. Develop recommendations to resolve problems of effectiveness and efficiency of work operations and programs. Infrastructure such as fire fighting water supply, fire station buildings and communication infrastructure could be incorporated in the MIG programme. Goal 4 – Professional Status Aim: Improve the Fire Brigade Services professional status. Strategic Initiative 7: Professional Development. Strategic Initiative 8: Benchmark Strategic Initiative 9: Partnership Operational Deliverables. To lower the Total Cost of Fire. Reduce the relative fire risk in the province.
Provincial fire training academy. Establish a system to identify, develop and document standard operating procedures and best practices and create a repository to share with all staff. Simplify the process for responding to all requests for information. Automate data collection processes. Serve as the provincial focal point for advancing the professional development of fire service and emergency response personnel and allied professionals engaged in fire and life safety activities. Provide assistance to local fire service training programs through cooperative agreements, grants, contracts etc. Serve as point of contact with national accreditation organizations to seek acceptance and recommend accreditation of training courses for college certification and continuing education. Serve as liaison between NDMC and the Local Authority Fire Services. Develop and maintain functional links with allied organisations. ______________________________________ Complaints and corrective action All complaints involving any of our partners or ourselves will be treated with the urgency it deserves and will be dealt with in accordance with relevant policy and procedure. We will monitor the implementation of any corrective or preventative actions and/or recommendations. ___________________________________________ Communicating this plan We will distribute this document to all our stakeholders in both electronic as well as printed versions. The document will also be published on our website. ___________________________________________ Contact us Provincial Disaster Management Centre Tygerberg Hospital, Parow Private Bag X 3 Sanlamhof 7530 27 (21) 937-0800 www.westerncape.gov.za References and acknowledgments London Safety Plan 2010/13 FDNY strategic plan 2011/13 the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 The White Paper on Local Government (1998) (“the White Paper”) further envisages that national government establishes an overall framework for municipal capacity-building and support. SANS 10090:2003-Community Protection against fire. Fire Brigade Services Act (99 of 1987)