Pta firefighter recovering from burns, support for FPA needed
The Roodeplaat Fire Protection Association has made a call on social media for donations of protective gear to keep volunteer firefighters safe.
A volunteer firefighter, who was badly burnt in a fire in Kameelfontein earlier this month, was recovering well.
Coenraad Louw of the Roodeplaat Fire Protection Association (FPA) said on Thursday that the injured man was back home with his family.
“He still has to go to the hospital every day to get his wounds dressed and it will be a long road to full recovery, but we are glad to say he is doing better.”
Louw had previously asked that the identity of the injured firefighter be withheld due to “privacy reasons” and “for the sake of his family”.
The Roodeplaat FPA is an organisation consisting of volunteers who fight mainly veld fires, but also structural fires in the Roodeplaat area.
The volunteers are men and women living in the area who strive to uphold the law regarding fire prevention and the protection of property and human as well as animal lives.
They use their own vehicles, fuel and time to perform this task.
In event of a fire, volunteers are contacted via WhatsApp groups, phone calls and the area’s Zello communication channel. They are on call day and night, whenever a fire breaks out.
The FPA depends on donations from its community and has recently asked for help on social media.
“The fire association requires that each firefighter be fully clothed in the necessary equipment. This is not always possible, and although we try to get these clothes, it is often too expensive to afford a complete outfit.”
FPA fundraisers helped in getting some of the necessary gear, but most funds were spent maintaining equipment.
A good set of clothes consists of a balaclava, a smoke mask, refractory glasses, gloves, a fire-resistant overall and a pair of safety/leather boots.
Flammable clothing, tracksuits and shoes with rubber soles were not suitable.
Anyone able to make donations was asked to call Adele Botha on 084 563 7648.
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