PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Fire and rescue workers in Bitou will be available to tend to emergencies all day and night from this month.
Bitou Municipality this week started a six-month pilot project which involves 24-hour operations for fire and rescue services in the area.
"We are always striving to better the lives of the residents of Bitou. With the introduction of 24-hour operations, our response times to fires and rescues will improve tremendously.
"No longer will our firefighters respond from being on standby, but the station will be manned at all times," said Deputy Mayor Mavis Busakwe. She is also the portfolio chairperson for community services and engineering on the mayoral committee.
She said that the project will at first only be rolled out for six months until all labour consultations between the local trade unions and the municipality as employer had been finalised.
After completion of this process, the new 12-hour shifts to render 24-hour operations would be permanently implemented.
Emergency fire and rescue calls can be logged through the municipality's emergency control room on 044 533 5000.
Mavis Busakwe
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