Good Morning Angels: A new fire truck for the Knysna Fire Department

LIVE: GOOD MORNING ANGELS 27 SEPTEMBER 2017 (KNYSNA FIRES/MARCé 19 JUNE 2017)

Jacaranda FM Listeners and Marcé Fire Fighting Technology hand over a brand new fire truck and protective gear to the Knysna Fire Department.

BACKGROUND:

In June this year, the Western Cape prepared for the 'Mother of all Storms' that was to hit on Wednesday, 7 June 2017. For the first time in history, schools were closed for the day as a precaution and employers were asked to give workers the day off as far as possible. However, as the storms hit the Western Cape, another force of nature was starting a path of destruction in the Southern Cape. There was little time to prepare for the devastation that was to be unleashed on the small, picturesque town of Knysna.

The fire department got updates on wind speed and direction changes on the half hour and evacuated parts of the Eden District ahead of the devastating fire. A fire line of 100 kilometers destroyed all in its path along the world famous Garden Route. Fire fighters and volunteers battled in shifts for days to do what they could. Two of these men paid with their lives: 24-year old Bradley Richards and 63-year-old John Blaauw. Another five people died and hundreds of homes, buildings, animals, and natural areas were destroyed. South Africans in other parts of the country looked on in horror for days.

A week and a half on, hundreds of thousands of Rands in goods and cash had been raised to help the affected communities. The Western Cape Government put aside R75-million for rebuilding of infrastructure damaged by the storms and the fire. According to some estimates, it would take up to three years to repair all that has been lost in Knysna, with one insurer estimating damage in the town alone at between R3- to 4-billion.

And yet, Knysna did have its own, dedicated fire truck and the town’s brave fire fighters did not have the protective gear they needed to fight fire disasters of this magnitude.

Good Morning Angels and the listeners of Jacaranda FM joined hands to ensure that next time Knysna and its fire department would have a fighting chance.

This was an incredible moment! 

REQUEST FOR: Knysna Community after the recent fire devastation

ANGEL 1: Marcé Fire Fighting Technology

SPONSORING: The team at Marcé Fire Fighting Technology build and manufacture all manner of fire fighting vehicles for all needs in South Africa and Africa. They are currently re-building a UNIMOG All-Terrain vehicle, with fire hoses, water pump and storage, as well as communication capabilities. This vehicle is worth over R1 million. On completion, Marcé will deliver this vehicle to the Knysna Fire Department within the next month or so. All of this will be donated to the Knysna Fire Department free of charge!

ANGEL 2: Paul Saayman

SPONSORING: Paul made good on his offer to transport Knysna’s new Fire Truck from Centurion, where it was built, to Knysna’s Fire Station. Thank you Paul!

ANGEL 3: The Jacaranda FM listeners and the GMA Fund

SPONSORING: We asked listeners to make contributions to the GMA Fund towards the fire fighting and relief efforts in Knysna, with the reference #KnysnaFire. The GMA Fund contributed the first R50,000 and our listeners paid in a whopping R175,000 in donations. A total of R225,000 has been donated towards sourcing proper protective clothing for Knysna’s fire fighters as well as fittings for the new fire truck.