Zululand Observer - Monday

Fire response bodes well for the future

- Dave Savides

SO great was the community response in assisting the woodchip firefighti­ng effort at NCT that there might well be permanent positive upshots as and when future disasters occur.

Not only will unused food, water, medicines and other resources be stored for future use, but the volunteers who assisted with logistics, food preparatio­n, collection­s, deliveries and other vital functions will be co-opted as an emergency ‘reservist-type’ group should other emergencie­s arise.

This arose from a meeting at Fuzion Ministries in Dollar Drive on Thursday afternoon, where a cavalcade of NCT-led fire tenders and vehicles paraded firefighte­rs who wanted to say ‘thank you’ to all who supported them through more than a week of dangerous work battling the intense blaze.

NCT general manager Danny Knoesen was emotional about the level of community support that poured in from all quarters, and the way in which Fuzion Ministries Pastor Chad Jones and his team acted as the organisati­onal pivot of the programme.

He introduced all the firefighte­rs, saying: “These are the people you have been feeding and helping as they protected the community.

“We are eternally grateful to them and to the external fire crews from our other NCT branches, as well as Fidelity ADT who we brought in. But they could not have done it without your support.”

Knoesen also praised the help and guidance they received from the City of uMhlathuze, specifical­ly via Deputy Mayor Christo Botha ‘who gets things done quickly’.

Cllr Botha in turn applauded all parties concerned in the successful overcoming of the fire that threatened both home and neighbouri­ng industries, adding

Bell Equipment and Samco Pumps to the list that included fire crews from the municipali­ty, South32, Mondi and the port.

“We saw Richards Bay pulling together as we did during Covid and the 2021 riots when our town was one of the few saved from looters.”

Every single donor and donation, including cash, which came through Fuzion Ministries was logged and what is over ‘belongs to the community’, according to Pastor Jones, who said a mutual decision can be made as to where it is distribute­d.

"The scale of the benevolenc­e work can be seen in the delivery stats: 1 330 breakfasts, 1 560 lunches, 1 410 dinners, 8 010 waters, 5 760 Energade, 4 120 chocolates, 3 550 biscuits, 3 560 chips and 5 670 fruits – a total of 35 026 items," said Jones.

Gratitude was also expressed by NCT for the ‘accurate and factual reporting by the Zululand Observer in keeping the public informed, and ensuring misinforma­tion and fearmonger­ing was countered’.

The scale of the benevolenc­e work can be seen in the delivery stats: 1 330 breakfasts, 1 560 lunches, 1 410 dinners, 8 010 waters, 5 760 Energade, 4 120 chocolates, 3 550 biscuits, 3 560 chips and 5 670 fruits – a total of 35 026 items - Ps Chad Jones

 ?? ?? The cavalcade of firefighti­ng vehicles attracted much attention from the public before parking in Dollar Drive
The cavalcade of firefighti­ng vehicles attracted much attention from the public before parking in Dollar Drive
 ?? ?? Fuzion Ministries Pastor Chad Jones and his wife Beryle share details of the tremendous community assistance given in support of the firefighte­rs
Fuzion Ministries Pastor Chad Jones and his wife Beryle share details of the tremendous community assistance given in support of the firefighte­rs

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