As a resident and ratepayer I am very concerned at the apparent lack of responsibility at our Paarl Fire Department.
Following the fire on Paarl Mountain on 17th / 18th December 2021, approximately 30 complete fire hoses have been left at the scene of the fire – I believe the hoses are valued at about R7 000 each, with the total value R210 000!
While I could possibly accept hoses being left at a scene for a few days in case of a “flare up” – these hoses have been lying unsecured on the mountain for over three weeks!!
We admire the fantastic job that the Fire Department does on protecting our city – but to abandon the very assets required in carrying out their job is unforgiveable!
DAVE MOSS, PAARL
Gerald Esau of the Drakenstein Municipality responds: Drakenstein Municipality wants to thank Mr Dave Moss for his concern. Our Fire Services division investigated the statements made and provided the following response:Following the fire on Paarl Mountain on 17 and 18 December 2021, the officers and Paarl Mountain management agreed to leave a line of hoses along the boundary of the fire to attend to any potential flare-ups. The terrain was quite steep and stretched over a long distance (from Jan Phillips Mountain Road to the slope of the mountain). It is common practice that this is done with the full knowledge and understanding that regular patrols and stand-by’s from the respective services were done three days after the fire occurred. All fire hoses were then retrieved from the mountain and returned to the respective services. The fire hoses certainly did not lie on the mountain unsecured for three weeks.It pleases me to report that the Fire Services division and the Paarl Mountain Reserve section suffered no loss of any hoses.
