Umtshezi Fire Protection Association is a helping hand in heated situations
With Chairperson Warren Blaker at the helm, the association aims to help manage and prevent fires
With fire season here, it’s comforting to know that the Umtshezi Fire Protection Association (UFPA) is often among the first to respond when fires break out.
The UFPA falls under the umbrella of the Fire Protection Association (FPA), that operates at a provincial level, aligned with the Provincial Disaster Management Centre.
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The UFPA began in 2011 and currently has 75 active members, which consist of landowners and local businessmen.
Together, these members are there to prevent and manage fires in the area.
Warren Blaker was recently elected as the 2019 chairperson of the UFPA and the deputy fire protection officer.
Therefore, in the event of a fire and the fire chief is dedicated elsewhere, Mr Blaker will manage the situation at the time.
Fire protection associations were born out of the necessity for a single Integrated Wildfire Management structure.
“The National Veld & Forest Fire Act of 1998 recognises the need where there is a high or fairly uniform risk of wildfires for a forum to be registered as an FPA,” explained Mr Blaker.
He added that: “Through my work on a local farm is how I got involved and as of last year, I found myself very involved. I have a passion for helping the community and that stems from the time I worked as a paramedic. I feel that living in a healthy and safe community is a good thing and contributing to that is even better.”
During the time when the local fire station was in a questionable state, the UFPA was equipped to assist in emergencies.
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Since the inception of the UFPA, it has assisted with a number of huge fires, namely in Winterton and Wembezi and the devastating Clover factory fire.
“These are some of the major fires I have attended to and helped with. I remember the Wembezi fire required lots of manpower to put out,” Mr Blaker recalls.
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“Touch wood, we just have one major fire a year we attend to. Fire is something that can get out of control,” he continued.
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