Fire and Rescue International Newsletter

National Fire Services Indaba 2026 held in Bloemfontein in the Free State Province

The 2026 National Fire Services Indaba was held in Bloemfontein in the Free State on 26 and 27 February 2026.

Day 1 of the National Fire Services Indaba addressed three key sessions: Fire Services Governance and Legislative Mandatory, Professional and Regulatory Compliance in Fire Services and Fire Prevention and Fire Risk Reduction. Various experts led these discussions, followed by engaging question and answer segments.

At the gala dinner on the first evening, Minister Hlabisa delivered remarks at the Fire Services Recognition Awards held alongside the National Fire Services Indaba, highlighting the importance of partnership in building resilient communities.

Minister Hlabisa addresses the National Minister Hlabisa has today told delegates at the 2026 National Fire Services Indaba that South Africa’s fire risk environment is intensifying and becoming more complex. Reflecting on one of the deadliest wildfire seasons, which claimed 35 lives, burned nearly four million hectares and caused widespread infrastructure and livestock losses, the Minister warned that fire risk is not a seasonal inconvenience but a national resilience challenge. He said climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of wildfires globally, placing added pressure on municipalities and deepening social and economic trauma in affected communities.

Day 2 of the National Fire Services Indaba took on a special significance with the presence of the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, alongside Deputy Minister of Traditional Affairs, Prince Zolile Burns-Ncamashe, Free State MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Saki Mokoena, Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae and MMC for Public Safety and Transport Cllr. Logan Kruger.

The panel of the National Fire Security Indaba 2026 covered key topics such as coordinating veld fire responses, fostering public-interest partnerships, leveraging geospatial intelligence for planning and applying lessons from a 2025 earthquake exercise to boost fire services via public-private collaborations. Firefighters from the Free State were also honoured for long and dedicated service as well as several delegates, who contributed to the recently urban search and rescue exercise.

Calling for a decisive shift from response to prevention, the Minister Hlabisa said the Indaba theme, ‘Building resilient communities through collaborative strategies for fire risk reduction’, signals a move toward risk reduction, early warning and better planning. He highlighted the Strategic Roadmap to 2030 developed through consultations led by the National Disaster Management Centre, which identified key gaps in municipal capacity, funding, equipment and enforcement of fire safety by-laws.

The Minister also welcomed the re-establishment of the Fire Brigade Services Board after 17 years and confirmed that new legislation is planned for 2026/27 to modernise the outdated 1987 Act, clarify roles across government and professionalise the sector. He emphasised the importance of integrating fire services into urban planning, investing in technology and data-driven risk analysis and strengthening training and support for firefighters. Paying tribute to the bravery of fire personnel, he said building resilient communities must include protecting those who risk their lives to save others

Minister Hlabisa, accompanied by Deputy Minister Burns-Ncamashe and Logan Kruger, MMC for Public Safety and Transport in the Mangaung Metro, conducted a walkabout of the exhibition area showcasing the latest fire and emergency response technologies, equipment and community safety innovations. The leadership delegation engaged with exhibitors, municipal fire chiefs, disaster management practitioners and private sector partners, gaining insight into advancements aimed at strengthening fire prevention, early warning systems and rapid response capabilities across the country.

Following the walkabout, the Minister and his delegation addressed members of the media during a doorstep interview. The engagement provided an opportunity to reflect on key outcomes of the Indaba, highlight government’s commitment to building resilient municipalities and reaffirm the importance of coordinated action to safeguard lives, property and critical infrastructure.

The Draft Fire Services Bill will be fast-tracked in 2026/27, alongside province-specific Fire Services Recovery Packages.

Thanking the hosting MEC of COGTA in the province Mr Saki Mokoena, traditional leaders, local government representatives and business partners, the Minister described their presence as a symbol of the unity required to strengthen fire risk reduction across the country.

Fire and Rescue International will be sharing a more indepth review in the next edition of the magazine.

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City of Johannesburg EMS rescuers responded to a building collapse in Ormonde on Monday, 2 March 2026, when a two-storey structure under construction collapsed during ongoing construction, killing nine people and injuring three. A concrete slab between floors gave way causing a structural failure on the first floor. There were 15 workers on-site when rescuers and paramedics arrived on the scene on Monday. Inside the building, part of the walls had collapsed and a concrete slab had fallen from large, twisted metal pillars. The property is less than a kilometre from FNB Stadium.

Union-led programmes and a March 29 postvention workshop at Strive for Excellence equip members to intervene before tragedy. For too long, suicide in the fire service lived in the shadows. Today, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) is confronting that reality by training members to recognise warning signs, ask direct questions, and step in before a crisis becomes a tragedy. Across North America, locals are adopting suicide prevention programmes built for the fire service. In Washington, DC, Local 36 recently hosted Columbia Lighthouse suicide assessment training for its peer support team, strengthening a union-led approach to protecting members.

On Tuesday, 24 February 2026, a fire incident occurred at Cape Town International Airport, one of Africa’s busiest aviation hubs and South Africa’s second-largest airport. The event triggered a full emergency response, evacuation of sections of the terminal, suspension of international departures and diversion of inbound flights. Although the fire was extinguished rapidly and no injuries were reported, the incident caused significant operational disruption due to smoke, power interruptions and the failure of critical digital infrastructure supporting airport operations.

On Sunday, 8 March 2026, a major urban fire occurred at a B-listed Victorian commercial building built in 1851 (Union Corner/Forsyth House) located at the junction of Union Street and Gordon Street in central Glasgow, immediately adjacent to Glasgow Central Station, Scotland’s busiest rail hub. The fire originated in a ground-floor vape shop and rapidly escalated, leading to structural collapse, prolonged firefighting operations and significant disruption to rail infrastructure. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) mounted a large-scale response involving dozens of firefighters, multiple appliances, specialist equipment and multi-agency coordination with Police Scotland, Network Rail and Glasgow City Council. “Operations Control mobilised six appliances and specialist resources to the scene, where firefighters were working to extinguish the fire on the ground floor of a four-storey building.”

Aidan Justus was appointed chief executive officer of Rescue South Africa in January 2026. Since stepping into the role earlier this year, Aidan has provided steady leadership focused on strengthening operations, expanding strategic partnerships, securing essential funding and advancing Rescue South Africa’s mission of delivering critical rescue and humanitarian support where it’s needed most. Rescue South Africa said in its announcement, “We’re proud to announce that, as of January 2026, Aidan Justus has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Rescue South Africa. With a clear vision and deep commitment to service, he continues to guide our teams as they respond to emergencies, support communities and uphold the values that define our organisation. We look forward to the impact of his leadership in the months and years ahead.”

A luxury Rovos Rail train derailed near Keetmanshoop, Namibia, on Sunday, 1 March 2026, resulting in two crew member fatalities and injuries to five others, while all 45 tourists remained safe. The accident, caused by a bridge collapse, involved the train traveling from Windhoek to South Africa. The deceased have been identified as South African national Hendrik Du Plessis and Richard Wimmerth who were the drivers. The accident occurred along the railway line between Seeheim and Holoog 68 kilometres near Keetmanshoop. The Rovos Rail 1202 was travelling from Seeheim and enroute to Holoog. It was pulling 21 trailers and one water tank with 36 staff members and 45 tourists on board.

In February 2026, the NSRI’s new Mykonos rescue vessel, Rescue 4, went into the water for the first time, marking a major milestone for the station and for the organisation’s Class 1 replacement programme. Rescue 4 is a state-of-the-art 14.8-metre Offshore Rescue Craft (ORC). This vessel, part of a major fleet upgrade, features advanced capabilities for extreme conditions and supports enhanced, faster emergency responses on the West Coast.

The Tanzanian government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening emergency healthcare services through closer collaboration with the private sector, including a new initiative to manufacture ambulances locally in Tanga Region. The move is expected to improve access to life-saving emergency services while creating new employment opportunities and supporting the growth of local industries.

On 17 February, the SAPS requested SARZA Gauteng’s assistance to set-up a technical rope system in order to conduct a search of a disused and flooded mine ventilation shaft in the Randfontein area. Collaborating organisations included SAPS K9 Search and Rescue and Gauteng EMS. Despite extensive efforts, nothing was found and the search was temporarily suspended. On 23 February 2026, members from the SAPS, Gauteng EMS and SARZA Gauteng returned to the shaft to complete their mission. Members set-up a highline-system, along with multiple separate rope access systems, to allow safe access into the shaft. After atmospheric monitoring in the confined underground environment, the rescuers were lowered into the shaft by the surface hauling-teams to complete the recovery operation and assist in bringing closure to the family.

Ghanaian businessman Ibrahim Mahama has donated his private jet to be used as an air ambulance across the country after acquiring a new one. Ghana’s state-owned media outlet, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), quoted the business mogul as saying his “old plane is now an air ambulance for every Ghanaian,” shortly after he took delivery of his new Bombardier Global 6500 aircraft at the Accra International Airport on Wednesday, 4 February 2026. The private jet donation comes after the Ghana National Ambulance Service announced plans to acquire 400 new ground ambulances and 500 medical motorbikes amid shortages of ambulances in the country.

Four provinces that have been severely damaged by natural disasters in the recent past are set to share R151.3 million for their responses to the devastation. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has announced adjustments to existing allocations to national departments and provinces in the 2025/26 financial year. He stated that the allocation of the provincial disaster response grant was necessary to KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North West, following severe weather and flooding damages experienced by these parts of the country.

Six of London Fire Brigade’s firefighters recently returned from Mozambique, where they helped people hit by the ‘worst flooding in a generation’ as part of the UK International Search and Rescue (ISAR) team. As part of the 36-strong UK ISAR team comprised of specialist personnel from fire and rescue services, they were deployed with support from UK Government, with four rescue boats, drones and specialist equipment, enabling them to clear fallen trees and debris, assess affected areas from the air and carry out search and rescue operations. Firefighters also co-ordinated delivery of aid by air.

This week’s featured Fire and Rescue International magazine article is: Structural shoring Part 2: Horizontal and lateral shoring written by Colin Deiner, chief director, disaster management and fire brigade services, Western Cape Government (FRI Vol 3 no 11). We will be sharing more technical/research/tactical articles from Fire and Rescue International magazine on a weekly basis with our readers to assist in technology transfer. This will hopefully create an increased awareness, providing you with hands-on advice and guidance. All our magazines are available free of charge in PDF format on our website and online at ISSUU. We also provide all technical articles as a free download in our article archive on our website.

Just north of Mexico City lies the peripheral municipality of Tultitlán de Mariano Escobedo, the centre stage for urban development projects in Mexico. Among these new urban developments is Felipe Ángeles Fire Station, a project by Mexico City–based design firm Departamento del Distrito, along with Oficina de Resiliencia Urbana (ORU), Ricardo G. Santander, and TALLER. The building was commissioned by the ambitious Urban Improvement Program (PMU), a country-wide development effort spearheaded by the Secretary of Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development (SEDATU).

University of Iowa mobile simulation truck stopped in Columbus Junction to help Louisa County ambulance crews train for high-risk emergencies before they happen.

Source: WQAD News 8

Half Marathon Prep as a Firefighter continues with Sub 1:25 Episode 2: a treadmill VO2 workout plus the fuelling plan I’m rehearsing for race day. I’ll also share my run structure, shoe rotation, and post-run mobility.

Source: Mitch Gourley

Vehicle extrication: Cutting the door check strap.

Source: Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Training Division

1981 Biggleswade Fire Station Open Day. EDG 464 Commer Q4 chassis with Merryweather body. Supplied to the Gloster Aircraft Factory in 1942. Standing beside it is Alan Patmore who was station officer at Hitchin.

Source: UK Preserved Fire Appliances

One of the hardest truths to accept is this: you are not as good as you think you are and the job will remind you if you aren’t humble enough to accept that. That doesn’t mean you’re not fit, skilled, and dedicated. It means the responsibility is greater than your ego will ever admit. That the demands are deeper than your pride can see. The moment you think you’ve “arrived,” you’ve already started to slip. You have already lost your edge, the edge that comes from an honest assessment of who and where you are in your journey. Complacency wears the disguise of competence. You run enough calls, you catch enough fires and you start to believe you’ve mastered it. You are measured not by how good you think you are but by how good you are in the worst moment of someone else’s life.