Fire Prevention Section's main objectives is to reduce the likelihood and impact of fires of all kinds.

Bulawayo with its inherent potential for major fire disasters which could injure or kill people, destroy property and damage to the environment has a particular need for a sound approach to the process of fire prevention.

Key Performance areas

• Undertaking public building inspections and inspection of Council properties and other buildings to ensure compliance with fire safety regulations.
• Processing of development / building plans for approval.
• Formulate and implementation of fire safety inspection and training programmes.
• Processing documents pertaining to regulation of companies dealing in flammable liquids and gases.
• Issuing tickets to violators of fire safety regulations.
• Preparing and maintaining statistics and records on Fire prevention activities.

Services offered

• Fire team training non-certificate.
• Fire team training certificate
• Fire management lecture.
• Fire risk surveys.
• Inspection of buildings on change of use.
• Competency test on fire equipment servicing.
• Public buildings inspections.
• Fire prevention on request.
• Fire investigations.

Causes of Fire in the Home

• Lit candles or paraffin lamps left unattended or poorly disposed.
• Irons, stoves and cooking fire left on through forgetfulness.
• Faulty electrical appliances.
• Children playing with matches or other forms of fire.
• Sparks from bush /rubbish fires.
• Hoarding of fuel in the home.
• Homemade candle polish.
• Lightning.
• Careless smoking.
• Trees coming into contact with electric cables.
• Farmers burning the bush to clear new farming land.
• Poachers and panners burning the bush.

Fire Prevention

• Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children.
• Keep sources of heat (iron, candles etc) away from combustible material like curtains, books, blankets, furniture etc.
• Avoid building up heat do not cover televisions or other gadgets that generate heat.
• Take care of electrical irons, always place them in upright position, switch them off and unplug them before leaving the room.
• Never sleep in a room with a fire or heater on.
• Never smoke in bed.
• Electrical appliances must be switched off and unplugged whenever leaving, the house or at bedtime or during electricity load shedding.

In The Event Of Fire

• Raise an alarm / shout first to alert others for assistance.
• Call the fire brigade immediately on telephone numbers:

993
994
71717-9

If safe, you can then deal with the fire using the correct extinguishing medium. If the fire grows, evacuate to safety.