A powerful day of action and readiness in Ward 104, Dunoon

Atlantic Fire Services (AFS) hosted a powerful Community Firefighting Training Day in Dunoon, Ward 104, bringing together local leadership, safety partners, and community responders to strengthen fire readiness in this high-risk area.

The session was attended by 20 newly appointed team leaders, alongside Community Policing Forum officials, Community in Blue, Neighbourhood Watches, and Captain Van der Merwe of the South African Police Service. The focus of the day was fire awareness, fire safety, and building organised community response teams capable of acting immediately when fires break out.

To support rapid response across the ward, AFS issued 40 fire extinguishers to the community teams. These extinguishers will be strategically placed and managed by trained team leaders to ensure fast action before fires can spread.

“We are in Dunoon, Ward 104, with Community Policing Forum officials, Community in Blue, Neighbourhood Watches, and Captain Van der Merwe from the South African Police,” said AFS Commander Paul Krüger.
“We’ve just completed our introductory talk on volunteer community firefighting. We are now handing over fire extinguishers to be used by teams formed by the community to protect the highest-risk areas.”

The initiative was welcomed by SAPS, who acknowledged the growing fire risk faced by the community and the importance of partnerships in addressing it.

“I want to thank everyone, especially the NGOs, who made this initiative possible,” said Captain Van der Merwe, South African Police Service.
“Fires are a serious problem in our community due to the nature of our structures. We are grateful for the community, the chairperson of OPA, and all stakeholders who came together to make this possible.”

Through collaboration, training, and practical support, Atlantic Fire Services continues to empower communities to take ownership of their safety — building stronger, safer neighbourhoods from within.

Together, we prepare. Together, we protect. Salute to all who serve.