The manufacturing of seventeen new firefighting vehicles started this week and soon, those trucks will be at the disposal of Johannesburg’s Emergency Management Services.
Johannesburg, South Africa (17 January 2023) – The city of Johannesburg is celebrating the manufacturing of seventeen new firefighting vehicles that will be added to the Emergency Management Services (EMS) in the coming years. The first truck will roll off the production line in just ten months’ time.
The seventeen trucks will be added to the municipal Red Fleet. The Red Fleet services 31 fire stations across all seven of Gauteng’s regions. Of the seventeen vehicles, thirteen will be heavy-duty fire and rescue trucks, two will be water tankers, one will have a telescopic aerial ladder, and one a hydraulic platform. The hope is that the entire project will be completed by May 2024.
“These vehicles, which will be handed over to the Department of Public Safety, will contribute to fulfilling the Mayoral Priority of building a safer and more secure City by enhancing response times and ensuring that when residents and businesses are faced with the unfortunate event of a fire or related emergency, they can rest assured that there will be vehicles available to save property and lives,” said the Executive Mayor, Councillrr Mpho Phalatse.
The EMS currently responds to 250,000 call outs per year. This makes the city’s EMS one of the busiest on the entire African continent, not to mention the largest.
“As a result, it is critical that our Joburg EMS women and men have the right tools to effectively disburse their life-saving duties on a 24/7 basis, 365 days a year,” Counciller Phalatse
What makes this news even better, is that the trucks are being produced locally. This means they will benefit the entire local economy too. Marće Fire Fighting Technology will be producing the vehicles over the next year.
“Our commitment to Johannesburg’s residents, under the leadership of our Executive Mayor, doesn’t end here. A further production of firefighting vehicles is in the works to assist our City in combating incidents that would not be necessary with the right equipment,” Counciller Leah Knott
Jan Steyn, Managing Director of Marće Fire Fighting Technology, has made a commitment to deliver the very best to the local government and its citizens.
“We promise we will do our absolute best and work as fast and hard as possible to deliver you world-class products,” said Steyn.
A promise we look forward to seeing come to fruition.
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