Malcolm Midgely, spokesperson for the Johannesburg Emergency Management Services, at the launch of the City's Winter Safety Campaign in Slovo Park (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)

RELATED LINKS: City launches Winter Safety campaign The City's emergency management services have launched a three-month campaign to teach residents of informal settlements about the dangers of fire. Read more EMS drives home fire safety message Reinforcing the City's Winter Safety Campaign's, the Emergency Management Services is encouraging parents to teach their children about fires Read more The colour of safety The latest leg of the City's Winter Safety Campaign invites children to tackle the issue of fire safety through colouring in. Read more Hypothermia alert For many, winter means much more than just keeping the cold away. Hypothermia is a real threat – and the City is making sure residents know what to do to prevent it. Read more

Winter safety campaign cuts loss of life After months of education programmes, the City's Winter Safety Campaign has resulted in the number of fire incidents dropping by more than a quarter. July 31, 2006 By Thabang Mokoka The number of fires in informal settlements over the current winter period has dropped significantly from last year – with 100 fires reported during January and July this year compared to 550 between April and July 2005. This trend is thanks to the City's Winter Safety Campaign, a programme launched at the end of May to educate residents about how to prevent fires. "We think the reason there are fewer fires this year is because of education," said the spokesperson for the City's emergency management services (EMS), Malcolm Midgeley. "As part of the Winter Safety Campaign, we have been out there talking to the people in the informal settlements, advising them what materials to use and to build their homes with gaps between so we can get fire trucks in to put out fires quickly." In June, EMS workers visited 52 pre-schools, 98 primary schools and 53 old age homes to spread the word in informal settlements and community centres. Referring to drop in the number of fires, Midgely said, "This is great news but it can only be achieved by citizens working together with the City of Johannesburg, heeding the warnings of the Winter Safety Campaign." Tips on using gas Still driving the message home, the Winter Safety Campaign warns residents to take special care with their gas heaters and to keep a sharp eye out for leaks. Last month, EMS officials attended a house fire in Roodepoort. A leak from a gas heater caught fire and melted the hose. This lead to burning pressurised gas shooting out of the canister. The EMS advises that the best way to check for a leak is to brush soapy water along the hose and connections – if the soapy water bubbles, you have a leak. "If you have a gas leak, even putting in an electric plug in the next room can cause a fire," said Midgely. Other tips include: have your heater checked by a gas dealer at the beginning of every winter; always check your gas hosepipe and connections before switching on; check that the seal between the cylinder and connection do not need replacing; check that the connection is screwed tightly into the canister; never leave a gas heater on overnight; keep it clean. When switched off, check the jets for dirt; and never hang clothes on the heater and keep it clear of cloth and curtains. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page Send an online postcard E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za