Emergency Management Services
Overview
When faced with an emergency – be it medical or accident – the team Joburg residents turn to is the City’s emergency management services (EMS). Its emergency and firefighting staff cope with about 250 000 calls a year.
Founded in 1890, City of Johannesburg EMS has 31 fire stations, servicing all the city’s seven regions. Joburg’s EMS is one of the biggest emergency services units in Africa.It covers an area of 1 620km² and serves a population of almost 6.2 million, thus making it the biggest emergency services unit in Africa”.
EMS aims to be “a leading, world-class, African emergency management service”.
The EMS has five directorates:
The core objective is saving lives and property once disasters or accidents have happened. Critical components in this directorate is firefighting, emergency medical services and rescue programmes. Operations is also responsible for the Command and Control Centre, for the dispatching of emergency services.
The EMS has its headquarters in the Johannesburg metropolitan police department building, at 195 Main Road, Martindale.
The service can be contacted on 011 375 5911.
For more information, the EMS’s Media Liaison Officers, Nana Radebe Kgiba can be contacted on 011 222 8056 – Cell: 083 444 6849 or Robert Mulaudzi on 083 319 9036
The EMS has five directorates:
What to do in an emergency
1. Contact the Control Centre on 011 375 5911 or 112 if you are phoning from a cellphone.
2. Try to remain calm.
3. Identify the emergency: i.e. motor accident, building fire, and so on.
4. Give your name and contact details.
5. State the nature of the incident.
6. Indicate the number of people or vehicles involved.
7. Give your physical address and nearest corner or landmark.
8. Remain on the line as long as possible to answer the operator’s questions.
Operations is a core department, dealing with the saving of lives and property when disasters or accidents happen.
Proactive services and fire safety focuses on preventing fires.
Corporate services and academy supports the EMS with a wide range of services, including training, fleet management, human resources, finance and administration.
Strategic support focuses on communications and marketing, quality assurance and research, transformation and employment equity, and special projects.
Vision, mission and key objectives
Vision
The EMS aims to become a leading, world-class, African emergency management service. Its core business is saving lives and property through pro-active interventions and preventative programmes. In this way it hopes to mitigate the costs of risk coverage for residents.
Mission
It will be the leader in the provision of emergency management services in Africa by pro-actively preserving life and property. It will achieve this through developing and deploying an effective human resources function, providing modern equipment and through community empowerment and education drives.
Key objectives
Its core business is saving lives and property.
It has seven main objectives:
- Create an end-to-end Customer Relationship Management Strategy;
- Emergency preparedness;
- Effective custodianship of the City’s by-laws and prescripts;
- Community empowerment;
- Transformed organisation; and
- Financial management.
Projects and programmes
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The EMS is committed to providing a sustainable emergency service to all the citizens of Joburg. It contributes directly to the City’s vision and priorities through its reactive and proactive services.
Through its proactive services, the unit plays a direct role in changing residents’ perceptions of their own safety. Through its reactive services, it is committed to ensuring that response times of ambulance and fire services are world standard.
It continuously develops programmes and awareness campaigns to enhance service delivery. These are informed by the risk profile that the City develops and updates regularly to ensure consistent monitoring relevance of the services.
Some of the projects and programmes are:
Training Academy
EMS academies offers high level training in line with national and international standards, resulting in world accepted levels of competence in emergency management services. Courses on offer vary from basic fire fighting and first aid training to more advanced training in hazardous materials, vehicle rescue and basic ECG interpretation.
Courses
EMS has three training academies situated in Brixton, Rietfontein and in Florida where the following courses are on offer:
The following is offered:
The course is aimed at businesses and individuals wishing to obtain basic competence in the fields of first aid, firefighting and hazardous materials. Read more in the prospectus.
Medical training
Rescue training The course is aimed at employees within the emergency services industry wanting to specialise in technical rescue or person’s required to perform such rescues as part of their jobs, and individuals involved in outdoor activities requiring basic rope skills.
A number of high-adrenalin programmes are on offer:
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All enquiries related to training should be directed to the Brixton Training Academy at 3 Brixton Road, in Brixton or
Commercial Training Academy
Post to PO Box 1496 Johannesburg, 2000.
Tel: 011 222 8104/8115/8110
nicom@joburg.org.za
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Projects and programmes
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The EMS is committed to providing a sustainable emergency service to all the citizens of Joburg. It contributes directly to the City’s vision and priorities through its reactive and proactive services.
Through its proactive services, the unit plays a direct role in changing residents’ perceptions of their own safety. Through its reactive services, it is committed to ensuring that response times of ambulance and fire services are world standard.
It continuously develops programmes and awareness campaigns to enhance service delivery. These are informed by the risk profile that the City develops and updates regularly to ensure consistent monitoring relevance of the services.
Some of the projects and programmes are:
Training Academy
EMS academies offers high level training in line with national and international standards, resulting in world accepted levels of competence in emergency management services. Courses on offer vary from basic fire fighting and first aid training to more advanced training in hazardous materials, vehicle rescue and basic ECG interpretation.
Courses
EMS has three training academies situated in Brixton, Rietfontein and in Florida where the following courses are on offer:
The following is offered:
The course is aimed at businesses and individuals wishing to obtain basic competence in the fields of first aid, firefighting and hazardous materials. Read more in the prospectus.
Medical training
Rescue training The course is aimed at employees within the emergency services industry wanting to specialise in technical rescue or person’s required to perform such rescues as part of their jobs, and individuals involved in outdoor activities requiring basic rope skills.
A number of high-adrenalin programmes are on offer:
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All enquiries related to training should be directed to the Brixton Training Academy at 3 Brixton Road, in Brixton or
Commercial Training Academy
Post to PO Box 1496 Johannesburg, 2000.
Tel: 011 222 8104/8115/8110
nicom@joburg.org.za
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Directorates
The Emergency Management Services (EMS) Directorates:
- Operations deals with the response to a wide range of incidents, such as fire, medical, rescue, water rescue and hazardous materials disasters. Employees are called FF/EMTs (firefighters and emergency medical technicians) as they fight fires and operate ambulances. Some are specially trained to cope with hazardous materials. Operations is also responsible for the Control Centre, which receives calls about disasters and dispatches emergency services
- Proactive Services and fire safety focuses on preventing fires. It focuses on code application, code enforcement and events management, among other aspects. Its main business is ensuring that buildings, building plans, transporting hazardous materials (hazmat) and events comply with fire safety laws.
- Corporate Services and Academy supports the EMS with a wide range of services, including training, fleet management, human resources, finance, administrative services and mess. Some of its key programmes are the chaplaincy service and employee assistance programmes.
- Strategic Support focuses on communications and marketing, quality assurance and research, transformation and employment equity, and special projects. Departmental planning, such as sector planning, business plans and scorecards, falls under this directorate. It also deals with organisational research, processes, capacity building, performance management, support, monitoring and reviews.
There are a number of laws and policies that govern the core functions of the EMS: the Disaster Management Act, the Municipal Systems Act, the Gauteng Ambulance Services Act, the Fire Brigade Act, the Health Services Act, the Road Traffic Act, the Veld and Forest Fire Act and the Communication Act.
What is a paramedic?
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Johannesburg’s EMS has three levels of emergency practitioners – basic, intermediate and advanced life support. Only the advanced life support practitioners are allowed to refer to themselves as paramedics. On the first level, practitioners (rendering basic life support) are called emergency medical technicians (EMTs). They are trained to a standard well above that of first aid practitioners and save many lives every year by applying basic life-saving skills like CPR and airway maintenance that are needed in most emergencies.
On the second level, emergency practitioners (rendering intermediate life support) are also called EMTs. These individuals are allowed to perform electrical defibrillation using ECG monitoring equipment and may set up intravenous pipes, and so on.
True paramedics render advanced life support. They are qualified to administer certain intravenous drugs and other advanced life-saving procedures.
Emergency medical services (ambulances)
Emergency medical services provides life support from a basic to advanced level throughout the city. Ambulances are manned by fire fighters/emergency medical technicians trained in basic or intermediate life support, while response cars are manned by advanced life-support paramedics. Emergency medical technicians and paramedics working in Johannesburg are among the most experienced emergency medical practitioners in the world as crews are constantly exposed to all forms of medical and traumatic emergencies.
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Clifford Mokgatlhe: Deputy Director of Medical 011 222 8068/8067
Email: cliffordm@joburg.org.za
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Public Information, Education and Relations (PIER)
Rather than wait for disasters to strike, PIER focuses on pre-incident training and preparedness geared towards training the public to avoid all types of emergencies and disasters, and cope with them when they happen.
The division also aims to minimise the amount of risk factors and situations to which people may be exposed by creating safer living and working environments. PIER is also responsible for keeping the City informed of the EMS’s activities. It has established strategically placed BESAFE Centres to enable communities to get and receive the information they need.
Proactive Services Directorate (Investigations, Code Application and Code Enforcement)
The directorate focuses on fire safety, looking at code application, code enforcement and events management, among others. Its core business is being the custodian of safety standards to ensure that fire risks are managed proactively when hazmat (hazardous material) is transported, events are hosted, buildings are erected or renovated and flammable liquids are stored.
It ensures that buildings comply with the National Building Regulations set out in the SABS 0400 1987. It also informs and advises occupants about safety precautions and storing flammable liquids and gas. It deals with both business and private premises. Where necessary punitive measures are taken if there is a gross non-compliance or repeat non-compliance. Working with other City departments, this directorate plays a critical role in Joburg’s inner city initiatives.
Joburg’s rapid expansion has led to an increase in the number of fire-related emergencies because of poor adherence to fire safety precautions and fire code applications by the building industry. This has led to increased fire risks – and, as a result, the EMS has set up preventative fire safety programmes.
Its functions include:
The application and enforcement of municipal by-laws and other safety legislation relating to fire by means of the routine inspection of buildings and fire plans;
Ensuring the implementation of sound fire engineering principles and practices by liaising with the public, consultants, architects and a wide range of technical committees and professional bodies;
The prevention of uncontrolled fires through lectures and film shows to the public;
In the event of a fire, ensuring its intensity and duration is limited by empowering the public to handle such an emergency;
Determining the cause of a fire and using the information gathered to inform awareness campaigns, including legislative compliance; and Management of fire works storage, transportation and display in public places.
Corporate Services and Academy Directorate
Corporate services renders an all-important support function to the other EMS directorates, making it possible for each directorate to perform its life-saving role.
Training academy
Firefighters and emergency medical technicians (FF/EMTs) are trained in-house at the EMS’s academy in Brixton, Rietfontein and Florida Park. The academy is accredited national and internationally, and internationally accredited instructors conduct most levels of training.
There is also career-oriented training for existing staff and new recruits as well for private individuals who want to be trained as firefighters and emergency medical technicians. Ongoing classroom and on-the-job training is provided to ensure the highest level of competence in the use of expensive, state-of-the-art and sophisticated equipment, the aim being to optimise manpower and resources.
Strategic Support Directorate
Among the critical aspects in this directorate are communications and marketing, quality assurance and research, transformation and employment equity, and special projects.
Some of the work it does is departmental planning; for example, sector planning, business plans and scorecards. It also deals with organisational research, processes, capacity building, performance management, support, monitoring and review.
Communications and marketing
Communications and marketing deals with internal communication in the organisation. In line with City processes and protocols, it also deals with external communication to ensure the good image of the department. Another responsibility is establishing its branding policy.
Quality assurance and research
The ISO 9000 programme was adopted to ensure the customer gets the best service. The quality assurance division is responsible for implementing this programme and ensuring that all the necessary implementation, support and monitoring plans are in place. It also ensures that implementation is reviewed at the end of the programme.
Transformation and employment equity
To ensure that the department complies with the necessary transformation imperatives, the transformation and employment equity division looks at broader equity and the necessary interventions to ensure that the organisation is transformed.
Special projects
This division deals with all the organisational planning processes, like public safety sector plans, business plans and performance management. It also handles aspects like audits, process reviews and support programmes.
Contacts
Physical Address:
Public Safety Headquarters
195 Main Road Martindale
Office of EMS Chief
Tel: 011 222 8041/8040
Email: xolilek@joburg.org.za or lesegots@joburg.org.za
Operations
Tel: (011) 222 8067/8068
Email: kediboneo@joburg.org.za or kanyisat@joburg.org.za
ProActive Services
Tel: 011 222 8087/80
Email: sagriem@joburg.org.za or luyandamot@joburg.org.za
Strategic Support
Tel: 011 222 8044
Email: nandiphara@joburg.org.za
Corporate Services & Academy
Tel: 011 222 8060/8059
Email: sonjal@joburg.org.za or mphomotlou@joburg.org.za
Email: sonjal@joburg.org.za or mphomotlou@joburg.org.za
Disaster Management Volunteers
Volunteers are an integral part of Joburg’s EMS. These people sacrifice their time, and sometimes their money, to help those who are destitute and helpless. Volunteers are governed by the National Disaster Management Act, which allows municipalities to establish a unit of volunteers to participate in disaster management.
To maintain an inclusive approach to the participation of volunteers in disaster risk management, volunteers are classified into three categories:
- Unit of volunteers;
- General volunteers; and
- Spontaneous volunteers.
Unit of volunteers
This category provides for individuals, groups or organisations that already have specialised skills, as well as those who undertake to be trained in specific skills.
General volunteers
This category provides a general pool of volunteers who can be drawn on by the municipality to perform a variety of functions that may or may not require specialised skills. Volunteers in this category must be registered and must meet minimum criteria set down in accordance with national standards.
Spontaneous volunteers
The Act also recognises that people will always respond spontaneously in emergencies and that these humanitarian responses should not be discouraged.
Special skills reservists corps
This category caters for all the professional reservists with specialised skills, including doctors, mechanical and civil engineers, data capturers and specialists in the fields of disaster and trauma, communications, environmental, and accounting, among others.
Training and development
Training and development is an ongoing process to ensure that the City’s volunteers are skilled to deal with different disasters. This process is in line with the national government policy of up-scaling the skills of individuals and communities.
Several courses are offered:
- Orientation course;
- Basic first aid;
- Basic firefighting;
- Introduction to disaster management;
- Introduction to fire safety;
- Introduction to events management; and
- Introduction to public information, education and relations.
Individuals are also given the opportunity to identify their areas of interest as soon as their training is completed. Volunteer training is free of charge and is open to individuals and companies.
Community emergency response teams
These are members of the community who are trained to ensure that they are able to take charge and intervene during basic emergencies while the EMS is on the way.
For more information, contact the EMS’s public education division on 011 758 5050
Junior cadets
The junior cadet programme is a youth development programme designed to develop leadership qualities, team work and problem solving skills among youths.
The programme caters for 12- to 18-year-olds. Cadets undergo similar training to that of the EMS’s operational fire fighters, which includes drill training, handling the fire fighting equipment and first aid.
For more information, contact 011 758 5052. For more information on how to become an EMS volunteer, contact the department’s volunteers section on 011 222 8000.
EMS by-laws
The implementation of the City’s EMS by-laws is a critical factor in helping to make Joburg a safer place for everyone. The City of Joburg’s Emergency Services Bylaws are published in the Provincial Gazette Extraordinary no.179 of 21 May 2004, notice number 826.
Fire prevention
Certain self-made fires are prohibited without prior written permission from the Chief of Emergency Management Services or his/her nominee. Storage and accumulation of combustible material are prohibited. The owner/occupier of the property must eliminate the hazard without delay.
Fire protection
- Design and construction of buildings should encompass water drainage from buildings and access to facilitate fire-fighting and rescue.
- Provision should be made for the installation of sprinkler systems, extractor fan systems, emergency exits and fire-fighting equipment.
- Adequate water supply through the provision of reservoirs for fire-fighting purposes.
- Storage of flammable substances
All flammable liquid storerooms must be designed in accordance with the requirements of the City’s bylaws. No person may store or allow the storage of any flammable substance in any storeroom without:
A certificate of registration (Section 35); and
- Compliance with the requirements of the by-laws and any other applicable law.
- The use of fireworks without authorisation is prohibited in certain circumstances.
- Fireworks displays must be authorised by Council at least 14 days prior to the proposed event.
- Application for permission to deal in fireworks must be made from the Chief or his / her nominee at least 30 days in advance.
Certificate of registration for use, handling and storage of flammable substances
- Flammable Liquid Installation plans must be submitted.
- A registration certificate will be issued on completion of the installation.
Transport, supply and delivery of dangerous goods
A transport permit is issued for a period not longer than 12 months.
The permit should comply with the codes of the South African Bureau of Standards. The owner of any vehicle used for transporting dangerous goods, must:
- Be in possession of a valid transport permit issued by the Chief Fire Officer in accordance with the National Road Traffic Act; and
- Ensure that the transport permit is available in the vehicle for inspection at all times.
Spray painting
Spray painting is prohibited without a permit. The permit is renewable annually after inspection of the premises. Spraying rooms must comply with the City’s bylaws. No person may spray, coat, plate or epoxy-coat any vehicle, article, object or building or part thereof or allow them to be sprayed, coated, plated or epoxy-coated with any flammable substance unless:
- That person is in possession of a spraying permit (Section 80); and
- The spraying, coating, plating or epoxy-coating is conducted in a spraying room approved by the Chief Fire Officer on premises registered for that purpose.
Compliance
EMS encourages all businesses to comply with these bylaws to ensure that
Joburg is a safe city. Inspectors ensure that compliance becomes a way of doing business.
Contact Arthur Mqwa Tel: 011 222 8088 for further information.
Offences and penalties
Bylaws apply within the area of jurisdiction of the Joburg City Council and in
addition to any applicable national or provincial law.
Any person who:
- Contravenes or fails to comply with any provision of these by-laws;
- Fails to comply with any notice issued or displayed in terms of these by-laws;
- Fails to comply with any lawful instruction given in terms of these by-laws;
- Obstructs, hinders, or improperly influences or attempts to do so, any authorised representative or employee of the Council in the execution of his or her duties or performance of his or her powers or functions under these by-laws, is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or in default of payment to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months, and in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding R50, or in default of payment, to imprisonment not exceeding one day, for every day during the continuance of such offence, after a written notice has been issued by the Council, and served on the person concerned, requesting the discontinuance of such offence.
Be Proactive – prevent a fire
Prevent the loss of life and property by following these safety tips:
Smoke alarms
A properly installed and maintained smoke alarm saves and protects lives.
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home as many fatal fires begin late at night or early in the morning.
Draw up an escape plan
Every second counts! In less than 30 seconds a small flame can turn into a major fire. Within minutes a house can fill with thick black smoke and become engulfed in flames. The response to a fire is not dependent on luck; it is a matter of planning and practising.
- Practise escape plans every month.
- Plan two ways out of each room.
- Immediately leave your home when a fire occurs.
- Never open doors that are hot to the touch.
- Designate a meeting location away from your home.
- Once you’re out, stay out!
Residential Fire Sprinklers
Homes can be built or even retrofitted to include low-cost automatic sprinkler systems connected to the domestic water supply. In addition to safety feature advantages, fire sprinklers reduce insurance premiums by 5 to 15 percent.
Disaster Management in the City
As required by the Disaster Management Act of 2002 the City has developed a Disaster Management Plan. This plan is aligned to the Provincial Disaster Management framework and other relevant guidelines as per the act. In an effort to ensure that this document becomes a reality:
- EMS is expanding its disaster management volunteer cadre so that communities become agents of the disaster management in the city;
- EMS has a Disaster Management Forum and is part of the Provincial Disaster Management Forum;
- EMS conducts joint simulation exercises with businesses and other relevant agencies to ensure preparedness and mitigation;
- EMS conducts awareness sessions to prepare all stakeholders to mitigate disasters; and
- EMS has established partnerships with other key partners like the South African Weather Service and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
In Summary
These by-laws apply within the area of jurisdiction of the City of Joburg
Council and are in addition to any applicable national or provincial law.