GEORGE MUNICIPALITY’S FIRE STATIONS DISPLAY FOUR LOCALLY MANUFACTURED FIREFIGHTING VEHICLES
The George Municipality is proud to show off the new additions to its firefighting fleet and the Executive Mayor of George, Alderman Leon van Wyk accompanied by the Portfolio Councillor for Community Safety, Councillor Charlotte Clarke, received the fleet in a special handover event that took place at the George Fire Station on Tuesday, 16 May 2023.
Also present at the official handover of the vehicles were Senior Manager of Environmental Services Sivuyile Mtila who represented the Community Services’ directorship, the Manager for George Municipal Fire and Rescue / Disaster Management Cornelius Barnard, Santa Sternsdorf, the Station Commander Training, and the newly appointed Divisional Commander for George Fire and Rescue Services Johan Brand.
“I am delighted to be receiving these vehicles that have been specifically manufactured for us by a local manufacturer,” said Mayor van Wyk as he received the vehicles from a local business owner, Brandon Woolley. “We are extremely proud to take ownership and start using these vehicles,” said Cornelius Barnard, manager for Fire and Rescue / Disaster Management.
Handing over the vehicles to the George Municipality, Woolley, the director and owner of Ramcom Trucks, a George-based company, said: “We are privileged to be able to build these vehicles for the George Municipality Fire Services out of a new material called polypropylene, which is very durable, lightweight and I think for the fire department it will be a good addition to their fleet. We are very proud of the vehicles we’ve manufactured, and we are glad that we can serve and make a difference in the community with our products.
At the George Fire Station, Santa Sternsdorf, the Station Commander Training, described each of the four new additions in the George Municipality’s fleet.
“Engine 1 (Scania) is our major pumper, a vehicle for structural firefighting – a completely rebuilt vehicle after an accident, we’re very proud to welcome her back to the fleet. Then we have one of our new vehicles a Toyota Land Cruiser with a skit unit with a state-of-the-art Polypropylene Unit that allows us to increase the water to a 600-litre tank to join the fleet.”
“Next, we have a rescue vehicle, again state-of-the-art Polypropylene canopy that now is being introduced as part of the rebuild for the vehicle where we gain weight, but we have a vehicle fit for purpose for rescue, with the jaws of life and all the needed equipment that we need for mass rescues.
“Finally, the Polaris 4×4 vehicle allows us to diversify Rescue and firefighting in overall, a good off-road vehicle to add to the fleet of George Municipality,” Sternsdorf added.
Please watch comments on the handover of the new vehicles: https://youtu.be/v6BAtDzN0UU
Caption:
Photos by: Deidré Cloete
From left: Cornelius Barnard (Manager for George Municipal Fire and Rescue / Disaste Management), Brandon Woolley (the Director and Owner of the George-based Ramcom Trucks), Alderman Leon van Wyk (Executive Mayor of George) and Councillor Charlotte Clarke (Portfolio Councillor for the Community Safety).
(Left) Denmar King (Junior Fire Fighter) and Brad Bussack (Fire Fighter),
(Middle) Santa Sternsdorf (George Fire Station Commander Training), Johan Brand (the newly appointed Divisional Commander for George Fire and Rescue Services), Sivuyile Mtila (Senior Manager of Environmental Services, Councillor Charlotte Clarke (Portfolio Councillor for the Community Safety), Brandon Woolley (the Director and Owner of the George-based Ramcom Trucks), Alderman Leon van Wyk (Executive Mayor of George) and Cornelius Barnard (Manager for George Municipal Fire and Rescue / Disaster Management),
(Right) Moses Mongo (Fire Fighter), Simpiwhe Sikhosana (Junior Fire Fighter), Heinrich Pienaar (Junior Fire Fighter).
The George Municipality is proud to show off the new additions to its firefighting fleet
Ends.