NSRI assistance at the Somerset West fires

Alan Meiklejohn, NSRI Gordon's Bay station commander, said:On the evening of Wednesday, 03 January, our NSRI Gordon's Bay rescue volunteers were deployed to assist at the Somerset West fires.Our duty crew remained on alert to respond to sea rescue emergencies while the off-duty crew assembled to assist with the fires.From approximately 20h00 until after midnight we joined the SA Police Services, community services and the City of Cape Town Disaster Risk Management (CoCT DRM) and Law Enforcement assisting to transport supplies from the drop off points to where they were needed by the Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, WOF (Working on Fire) and VWFS (Volunteer Wildfire Services) crews fighting the fires.GBMed/GBSec (Gordon's Bay Security ambulance services) and WC Government Health EMS were on hand to assist.The community were absolutely brilliant in their support.Heyns de Waal of Gordons Bay Security and ambulance services and his team have been instrumental in their coordination and tirelessly pulling the community and emergency services together in cooperation.Then on Thursday, 05th January, at 21h00, we assembled an NSRI Gordon's Bay rescue team to respond to Lourensford Estate at the request of CoCT DRM where the fire, at its worst, threatened residents on the Estate.Lourensford Estate have their own Fire teams and they have an extensive evacuation plan for their employees and for their residents on the Estate and while the SA Police Services, CoCT DRM, CT Fire and Rescue Services, NSRI and community services stood by to assist if necessary it was not required and no staff or residents were required to be evacuated from any of their homes on the Estate.A shift in the wind then sent the fire back on itself and it appears that Stellenbosch is now at most risk.NSRI Gordon's Bay were released at 04h00 on Friday, 06th January and we remain on alert to assist if necessary. The community again were superb in their support. Pictures by NSRI Gordon's Bay. Shows the NSRI Gordon's Bay crews standing by through the night to assist in the Somerset West fires.TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE