Fire and Rescue International Newsletter

Two-day Structural Firefighting Summit 2026‬‬‬ to be held by the Western Cape Government

The Western Cape Department of Local Government through the Provincial Disaster Management and Fire and Rescue Services together with Supporting Fire Services SA and Santam will be hosting a two-day Structural Firefighting Summit at the Lagoon Beach Hotel in Milnerton, Cape Town, on the 13 to 14 August 2026.

We are cordially inviting you to attend our event as your participation and collaboration is very valuable to us. Please note there is no registration cost for attending this event, however, you are required to register via the link indicating your attendance for logistical purposes.

Registration WCG 2 Day Structural Firefighting Summit 2026 – Fill out form

The objectives of the summit include:
1. Enhancing professional and leadership development within municipal fire services
2. Addressing identified skills gaps in structural firefighting operations
3. Introducing and reinforcing modern structural firefighting concepts, including:
a. Transitional fire attack
b. Ultra-high pressure (UHP) firefighting
c. Flow path management
d. Gas cooling and modern fire behaviour
e. Promoting firefighter safety and operational effectiveness
f. Contributing to the reduction of fire damage, secondary losses and insurance claims
g. Encouraging consistency in doctrine, tactics and decision-making across the province

Programme focus (Indicative)
1. Contemporary fire behaviour and research findings
2. Tactical decision-making and command considerations
3. Case studies from local and international incidents
4. Leadership, accountability and professional standards
5. Practical demonstrations and technology showcases (where feasible)

In conclusion, by aligning operational practice with modern science and global best practice, the summit will contribute meaningfully to firefighter safety, community protection and economic resilience within the province.

If you have any questions in this regard, please feel free to contact Mr Etienne Du Toit on Etienne.DuToit@westerncape.gov.za or on Tel: 021 937 6375.

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Lee Raath-Brownie
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Police constable Emilio George’s search and rescue efforts at a Humansdorp milk farm highlight the emotional weight of recovery work, as he aids families in finding closure after tragedy. When asked to recount the moment he saw the bodies of the two men he needed to retrieve, Emilio George fell silent. By the way the bodies were positioned at the bottom of the water cooling tank, he knew there was no way the men were alive. Now it was up to him to help their families reach closure after the freak incident.

A massive explosion ripped through a fireworks manufacturing facility in northern Malta on the morning of June 1, 2026, triggering a large-scale fire, sending a towering plume of smoke into the sky, and prompting an extensive emergency response from firefighters, police, and rescue personnel. The blast was so powerful that it was heard and felt across multiple parts of the Mediterranean island, with residents reporting shaking buildings, shattered windows and shockwaves that travelled for kilometres.

SARZA Gauteng received a call to assist with the extraction of a motorbike rider reportedly trapped in “quicksand” on 31 May 2026. Updated reports confirmed the patient had become stuck approximately two hours earlier in semi-liquid, waterlogged mud unable to support weight. His legs, still in riding boots, were firmly entrapped in the dense mud, creating significant resistance to movement.

Progress is being made against two wildfires in Saskatchewan, both of which prompted evacuations late last week, according to the province’s public safety group. At the time of publication, no residential homes have been lost or reported as damaged, according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA). The Cayford Fire is burning in the east-central part of the province, while the lightning-sparked Lobstick Fire is burning alongside the Saskatchewan River between Prince Albert and Duck Lake. SPSA crews are on site at both blazes. Over 1 000 people were evacuated because of the Cayford Fire, Premier Scott Moe said. The evacuations were put in place due to the smoke in the air and the loss of access to some roadways.

Six puppies were rescued from a burning scrapyard by eThekwini firefighters in Clairwood in Durban on Thursday, 4 June 2026, after a fire broke out and quickly spread throughout the property. Several cars stored at the site were damaged. Thick black smoke could be seen rising into the sky as flames tore through piles of scrap metal and old vehicles. As firefighters worked to contain the blaze rescuers carefully searched the area and discovered six puppies trapped close to the flames.

Perth experienced a devastating 24 hours of road trauma with multiple serious incidents across the city, on Thursday, 4 June 2026. In Wanneroo, a Transperth bus split almost in two after veering into oncoming traffic, leaving two passengers critical and seven injured. An 83-year-old driver crashed into St John of God Hospital in Murdoch after hitting a pedestrian, forcing the emergency department to close temporarily.

Source: 7NEWS

The Garden Route District Municipality Fire Rescue Services are throwing down the challenge! From 27 June to 12 July 2026, at The Market @ Transnet Transport Museum, George, local NPOs, businesses, clubs, teams and members of the public are invited to challenge some of the toughest firefighters and local heroes in the Garden Route in the ultimate Rope Rescue Challenge!

Think you have what it takes?
Challenge the professionals.
Compete for bragging rights.
Raise funds for a worthy cause.

At least 21 people have been killed after a fire tore through a hotel in the Indian capital New Delhi, on Wednesday, 3 June 2026. Several have been left injured after the blaze at the building in the Malviya Nagar neighbourhood in the southern part of the city, which had a restaurant on the ground floor and a hotel above. Eight fire engines were used to extinguish the blaze and more than 40 people were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals, Delhi police said.

The body of uMhlanga businessman and former Navy officer Tony Govender was recovered from Hazelmere Dam on Tuesday, 2 June 2026, following an extensive five-day search operation. Govender had been celebrating his 54th birthday with family and friends at the dam on Friday, 29 May 2026, when tragedy struck. He was reported missing after entering the water and failing to resurface. For five agonising days, his family maintained a vigil at the edge of the dam, awaiting news from search and rescue teams before his body was finally recovered.

An inside look at life as an aerial firefighter. We cover lifestyle, pay, schedule and more of an aerial firefighter.

Source: Dangerous Jobs with Chris Barnett

This week’s featured Fire and Rescue International magazine article is: Changes in cervical spine immobilisation protocols written by SAPAESA (FRI Vol 4 no 1). 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.

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Join me for a full firefighter kettlebell workout right here on the station floor at Southwest Fire Academy. This routine is all about building functional strength, grip endurance and overall power—everything you need to perform at your best as a firefighter or first responder. Whether you’re on shift or training at home, grab a kettlebell and follow along! Big shout out to Southwest Fire Academy for letting us use the station floor for this workout.

Source: Mitch Gourley

This video is part 4 of 5. The video demonstrates MDFR units performing the “Basic” and “Shoulder” deployments for above grade scenarios.

Source: Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Training Division

Original format: 16mm, colour, silent (transferred from Digital Betacam copy). Silent footage of the Seattle Fire Department responding to a fire. Shots include fire trucks leaving the downtown station, firefighters fighting fire and victims of fire in blankets with warm drinks at the fire station.

Source: Seattle Archives