GSFPA Membership

The Act provides for FPAs for two reasons:

  • Veldfires often become emergencies because they threaten life and assets on the property where they have started, or when they spread, or threaten to spread, beyond the boundaries of any one property, and

  • Require co-operation to manage the conditions that determine their occurrence, to prevent and control veldfires, and to use controlled burning for environmental and other purposes. Effective management of veld-fires requires organisational structure, strategy, plans, information, networks, skills, and equipment that can seldom be provided adequately by any one landowner alone. Also, government cannot take on the duties and responsibilities of landowners for fire protection. The Act places this responsibility on the owner, where it belongs (Chapters 4 and 5). The Act intends that FPAs should be voluntary, not only because of the right to freedom of association, but also be-cause landowners themselves need to make firm commitments to co-operation by their own joint initiatives. On the other hand, this provision in the Act does place a duty on government to effectively promote and support FPAs, including financially where this is justified.

Benefits of Joining GSFPA

  • Cost saving for members and is an easier way to achieve compliance (if landowners work together) by implementing strategic firebreaks in their management cells.
  • By making use of the Rules and Regulations of the FPA, member compliance is more achievable.
  • Members can gain insight into existing case laws and raise awareness.
  • As an FPA member, insurance claims are more likely to be approved.
  • Insurance providers might offer lower premiums based on the decrease in fire risk.
  • Where FPA’s are active in an area, due to the increased awareness and compliance, the fire risk in the area generally decreases.
  • When available, access to WoF ground teams, both for pre- fire season preparation and for uncontrolled fires.
  • Members have access to a more accurate weather reports and forecasts.
  • Where a fire is a threat to life or property, the FPO may take control of the coordination of firefighting. This is beneficial to members as the FPO is trained and in catastrophic fire events, with many legalities involved, this provides members with a safety net in terms of decision making at the fire.
  • Assistance with member communications between Government Departments and it’s members.
  • Two fulltime GSFPA Managers available for coordinating uncontrolled incidents.
  • Automatic membership to ECUFPA.
  • When requested, training can be organized by GSFPA for its members.
  • Awareness campaigns undertaken for GSFPA members and the greater public.
  • Protection that comes from implementing the Rules and Regulations of GSFPA.
  • Assistance with fire management in the region as the GSFPA has implemented Fire Management Units and Cell Leaders.
  • Assistance with member compliance in relation to the NVFFA.
  • No presumption of negligence in civil claims for damage where a fire from the members land causes damage or loss to another person when a member remains compliant.

Membership of an FPA brings several advantages, directly to the member as well as through the capabilities of the FPA itself

These include:

  • The benefits of co-operation in preventing and combating veldfires through the institution of the FPA, within the framework of an agreed veldfire management strategy.
  • The cost saving that comes from avoiding duplication with for example disaster management plans and agricultural conservation programmes.
  • The protection that comes from the enforceable rules of the FPA, as established in its constitution. The fact that FPA rules are enforceable in the FPA area protects members from the actions of non-members.
  • Advice and assistance to members in meeting the statutory requirements for readiness for fire fighting, including skills development.
  • The registered fire protection officer (FPO) of an FPA receives powers to enforce the Act and FPA rules.
  • Improved communication among members, for example, of fire hazard conditions. FDI. This is done through e-mail and SMS messages.
  • Possible relief from certain prevention measures, for example, the duty to create and maintain firebreaks, depending on the contents of the FPA's veldfire management strategy.
  • The overall benefits of progressive building of capacity within the FPA and thus among its members, with overall reduction in the risks of veldfire
  • Improved communication between FPA members.
  • Stronger negotiation powers by virtue of being part of an organised group.
  • Localized weather data and Fire Danger Index (FDI) notifications and predictions.

Contract with Working on Fire (WoF) for ground crews. In practice this means:

  • FPA members get first call on the WoF ground crew on members request. The FPA will have free use of the allocated team and any other WoF crews available for fire suppression. The FPA member will however be responsible for subsidized variable costs. This includes the payment for rations of the fire crews, whom are exceeding an eight hour shift at about R150.00 per person per day. The payment of WoF transport costs, supervision if required, equipment maintenance and consumables as well as a small admin fee. (Non-members will pay actual costs.)
  • The FPA will have free use of the allocated WoF crew, for a period of 40 working days outside the fire season for fire protection measures. The FPA member will be responsible for subsidized variable costs as per above paragraph. This will be utilized mainly for strategic fire belts and must be arranged through the FPO.
  • Aerial resource are available (on second call) for the members of the FPA to request, considering that Amathole Forestry Company gives consent, as AFC has a contractual agreement with Working on Fire, and covers 100% the standby costs. FPA members should request aerial resources through the FPA.

**************************

National Veld and Forest Fire Act, Act 101 of 1998.