An additional 120 firefighters, contracted for the duration of the tournament period, joined permanent Fire and Rescue staff to display their readiness for the event at the launch of the academy on 19 May. The new academy, which is located in Epping, is internationally and nationally accredited and boasts training materials such as simulated collapsed buildings and trenches, sewer pipes and a residential flat.

In preparation for the World Cup, additional appliances and equipment have been purchased, and the Public Viewing Areas (Fan ‘Jols’), FIFA Fan Fest and Cape Town Stadium have been inspected and declared compliant with safety rules and regulations. The Fire Safety Section also conducts regular visits to various hotels and buildings throughout the city to ensure compliance with safety regulations. An operational deployment plan is in place to ensure fire cover, not only at the tournament venues, but also to the remainder of the city.

The Provincial Joint Operations Centre and the City’s Joint Operations Centre will be staffed by senior officers of the Fire and Rescue Service on a 24/7 basis during the World Cup. In addition, each venue will have a Venue Operations Centre staffed by Fire Officers to ensure the safety of all who attend.

Visitors and fans will can also rest assured that Cape Town’s firefighters are amongst the best in the world. Training of existing staff is ongoing with a focus on advanced training. This includes training 39 Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) technicians, 24 Technical Rescue Operators, 60 Basic Ambulance Assistants and 15 Ambulance Emergency Assistants. The Hazmat technicians are extensively trained in dealing with chemical, biological and radiological fallout and identifying explosives. Some of their training was conducted at the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station and with the Explosives Unit of the South African Police Services.

 

The Technical Rescue Operators are ready to deal with any technical rescue incident such as a building collapse, trench collapse, sewer rescues, rescues from heavy vehicles, swift flowing water rescues, and rope rescues. The Unit has trained with the Specialised Dog Unit of the South African Police Services to locate trapped victims.