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Chubb Fire sponsors fire-fighting awareness project

Unfortunately the slopes of Lions Head still bear the scars of the annual devastating bush fires. However, a project aimed at preventing devastating fires on Table Mountain and in particular Lions Head has been sponsored by Chubb Fire, a member of Chubb Security South Africa. The project also involves the South African National Parks (SANParks), the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry and Working for Water.

Chubb Fire personnel Patric Oppelt and Ismail Abdullah

The Carpenters Warehouse, an organisation who works with and trains and educates previously disadvantaged individuals, was commissioned to produce 50 hand-carved wooden extinguishers. Made from alien tree trunks, the fire extinguishers have been attached to trees along all of the common mountain paths, forest trails and hiking routes on Lions Head and contain handy tips on how to avoid potential fires.

The aim of the project is threefold - to educate and make people aware as to the causes, dangers and devastating effects of forest fires; raise awareness for the Table Mountain National Fire Department during the dry seasons as well as to be a noticeable public artwork which will fill the forests of Cape Town during the busy tourist months.

"Fires are either deliberately lit, arise from airborne braai coals from campers fires, occur as a result of fire crackers or are started by people carelessly throwing away their cigarette butts," says Coenraad Calitz, managing director of Chubb Fire.

"The extinguishers are not proper working extinguishers but the hope is that the mere presence of them will reiterate to people just how dangerous fires can be. Not all fires can be stopped, but most can be prevented and we hope this project will instil in the minds of people not just how fragile our environment is, but how precious it is too," says Calitz.

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