Pretoria – OR Tambo International Airport and the South African Police Service (SAPS) will embark on a Fire and Safety Campaign in communities adjacent to the airport.
The campaign will take place in Wattville on Saturday, 1 June, and will educate the 3 000 residents of the community on how to be safe, keep warm and prevent fires this winter.
The campaign is part of the airport's community engagement and commitment to empowering local communities, improving the quality of life, while having a meaningful and tangible impact on residents.
“It is important for us to help promote safe living environments within our airport communities. The winter season is of particular concern for us because communities are placed in a vulnerable position as they try to keep warm using inappropriate and dangerous heat sources such as primus stoves,” said the airport’s Manager of Communication and Brand Management, Unathi Batyashe-Fillis.
The airport will provide the residents of Wattville with blankets and hot water bottles as alternative means to keeping warm.
“Fires can be devastating for communities, particularly in winter. We are taking a holistic approach in tackling this issue, recognising that communities who depend on fires for cooking and heating need to be empowered with the appropriate skills to control fires and keep safe,” she Batyashe-Fillis.
The airport’s fire and rescue department will use the campaign to demonstrate safe handling of primus stoves and train residents on appropriate fire management and safe extinguishing methods.
OR Tambo International Airport Fire and Rescue Manager, Clive Naidoo, said: "Teaching fire safety is the best way to prevent fires.
“By enhancing the knowledge around fire safety within the community, we multiply our ability to prevent accidents and save lives. We trust that this Fire and Safety Campaign will reach the community and prevent the occurrence of any unfortunate accidents.”
The event will start at 9:30am at Section 1, Wattville, Benoni and the airport staff members will run a soup kitchen throughout the day. - SAnews.gov.za
