The City of Cape Town unveiled 19 new state-of-the-art vehicles at its Epping Fire Station on Wednesday.
The two specialised rescue vehicles and 17 water tankers will be deployed to the 32 fire stations across the metro.
All of the new vehicles have extensive off road capabilities with an advanced drive train to allow for accessing difficult terrain.
In addition to the water storage capacity, some of the vehicles also have foam tanks on board for extinguishing certain fires in environments where using foam is required instead of the conventional medium of water.
The investment in the newly acquired fire vehicles by the City’s Safety and Security Directorate amounts to more than R81 million.
“Our firemen and women work in extremely dangerous environments when called upon to extinguish fires. They need the best equipment to assist those in need, to protect lives, property and infrastructure. These vehicles will allow them to access mountainous terrain and will increase the response time. The City’s Fire Service often assist neighbouring municipalities when requested. The investment in these vehicles is an investment in the safety of our residents and the natural and built environment,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.