MMC Sun to honour Jozi’s young safety ambassadors

10 May 2017

 

City of Johannesburg’s Member of the Mayoral Committee for Public Safety, Cllr Michael Sun, will honour 500 learners from the Greater Johannesburg area for participating in the Fire and Life Safety Programme and becoming their schools’ emergency response team champions.

 

The event, to be held at Wembley Stadium in Turffontein, south of Johannesburg, on Friday May 26, will mark the launch of the first-ever Schools Emergency Response Team (SERT) by the Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS).

The City recognises the pivotal role these dedicated learners play in assisting schools to comply with fire and emergency by-laws and extinguish small fires in their incipient phase. The programme is part of the City of Johannesburg’s strategic goal of building communities resilient to fires, medical emergencies and disasters.

Johannesburg EMS spokesman Robert Mulaudzi says the training programme was specifically developed for secondary schools and earmarked for learners in grades 10 and 11.

It includes training in basic First Aid and basic firefighting, which prepares learners to deal with any fire and medical emergency that might occur not only at school but also at home, while waiting for emergency services to arrive on the scene. The programme also provides learners with evacuation and life skills.

Mulaudzi says the 500 learners will each be presented with a certificate of participation and a SERT badge. Each participating school will receive a medical bag to be used for any medical emergency.

The programme’s goals and objectives focus on creating a safe and self-sustainable environment at schools in order to:

• Rebuild respect and relationships with the youth;

• Improve safety through SERT training;

• Facilitate co-ordination and information sharing – both internally and externally – among the participating organisations;

• Enhance the ability and effectiveness of staff to perform their duties;

• Facilitate co-ordinated crime prevention and reduction; and

• Provide high levels of security at schools.

This will also prevent injuries, fires and damage to property and create resilient communities.

It will also create favourable and secure agreements between the Department of Education and Johannesburg EMS.