rise of the phoenix vision 2030 roland hendricks

Draft Proposal by RG Hendricks – Director Provincial Fire & Rescue Services Unit

2015/2019

GAUTENG PROVINCIAL FIRE & RESCUE SERVICES VISION

2030 - “Rise of the PHOENIX”

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Contents

A. ACRONYMS .................................................................................................................................................. II

1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 1

2. GAUTENG CITY REGION – THE GLOBAL CITY .................................................................................................... 3

2.1 The problem statement ............................................................................................................................................. 3

3. SIX CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE GCR AS A RESULT OF URBANIZATION ......... 6

4. GAUTENG PROVINCIAL FIRE & RESCUE SERVICES AS A GLOBAL LEADER ........................................................... 7

4.1 The Changing environment ............................................................................................................................................ 7

3. P: F&RS ORGANIZATIONAL PURPOSE, VALUES AND OBLIGATIONS ................................................................ 11

3.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................ 12

3.2 Vision and Mission ................................................................................................................................................... 12

3.3 Core Values .............................................................................................................................................................. 12

3.4 Our Strategic Goals .................................................................................................................................................. 13

3.5 Our Strategic Objectives .......................................................................................................................................... 13

3.6 Key strategic challenges ........................................................................................................................................... 14

4. STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK ............................................................................................................................. 16

4.1 Strategic Goal 1: Effective Coordination and Support of Fire & Rescue Services .................................................... 16

4.2 Strategic Goal 2: Safer Communities ....................................................................................................................... 16

4.3 Strategic Goal 3: Promote a culture of pre-planning and risk avoidance ................................................................ 16

4.4 Strategic Goal 4: Capacity Building and professional development ........................................................................ 16

5. STRATEGIC ELEMENTS .................................................................................................................................. 17

5.1 Strategic Element 1: Stakeholder engagements and collaborations ....................................................................... 18

5.2 Strategic Element 2: Institutionalization of coordination and support mechanisms .............................................. 19

5.3 Strategic Element 3: Financial support and resource resourcing ............................................................................ 19

6. GENERAL CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................ 20

6.1 Adapting to limited predictability ............................................................................................................................ 20

6.2 Response and recovery ............................................................................................................................................ 21

6.3 New roles for government actors ............................................................................................................................ 21

6.4 Exploring new technologies ..................................................................................................................................... 22

6.5 Targeting vulnerable communities .......................................................................................................................... 22

6.6 Thinking beyond borders ......................................................................................................................................... 23

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A. ACRONYMS

CERT - Community Emergency Response Teams

CoGTA - Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Gauteng)

EMS - Emergency Management Services

EPWP - Expanded Public Works Programme

ESKOM - Electricity Supply Commission

GCR - Gauteng City Region

GDP - Gross Domestic Product

FBSA - Fire Brigade Services Act No 99 of 1987

KZN - KwaZulu Natal

NGO - Non-governmental Organization

PDMC - Provincial Disaster Management Centre

PIER - Public Information, Education and Relations

PIER WG - Public Information, Education and Relations Work Group

P: F&RS - Provincial Fire & Rescue Services (Gauteng Province)

SANDF - South African National Defence Force

SAPS - South African Police Service

UNFPA - The United Nations Population Fund


GAUTENG PROVINCIAL FIRE & RESCUE SERVICES VISION 2030 - “RISE OF THE PHOENIX”

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1. INTRODUCTION The Provincial Fire & Rescue Services (P: F&RS)

initiated a strategic planning process in 2015 in

order to develop a strategic plan for the

development and improvement of Fire &

Rescue Services within the Gauteng City

Region for the period 2015-2019.

In doing so it also aligned its Strategic Plan with

the Foundation and Stabilization Phase (2014-

2019) of the Department’s Repositioning

Strategy within the Gauteng City Region.

During that period, an improved

organizational structure was developed to

assist with the implementation of its strategy

moving beyond 2014.

We have since reached a critical juncture

where we need to reflect on our collective

achievements, and find solutions to address

current and future challenges, in order to

further strengthen regional capacity in

reducing fires and subsequent losses and to

strengthen our collective response to fires and

non-fire emergencies.

During the period January – March 2016, the

unit embarked on a process to review its

strategic plan and to further align it to the

Department’s Repositioning Strategy within

the Gauteng City Region 2030.

During this process it was determined that an

overall Strategic Vision is required which

would be aimed at establishing a world class

Fire & Rescue Service by 2030.

It was decided to call this document “Rise of

the Phoenix”, named after a bird from Greek

methodology who in historical record could

symbolize renewal in general as well as

resurrection, the sun, and according the

methodology a phoenix obtains new life by arising

from the ashes of its predecessor.

We see this vision as a new birth, a new direction as

well as a process of rising from the past and

refocusing on the future.

The P: F&RS recognized that a strategic planning

process was particularly important during these

economic times, since difficult choices had to be

made to ensure that limited financial resources

would be used most effectively.

Through the strategic planning process the P: F&RS

has been able to assess its organizational structure,

create a blue print for the future and develop a plan

to accomplish the new direction and goals.

Phoenix is born from the premise we face the clear

and present reality of wall-to-wall metropolitan

system of government by 2030, meaning that the P:

F&RS will need to reposition itself in order to ensure

that it remains relevant and would continue to drive

coordination and collaboration within Fire & Rescue

Services within Gauteng.

Phoenix charts the strategic direction that Fire &

Rescue Services within the Province needs to

embark on in the next few years, and identifies the

key areas to move the implementation of the vision

forward to a people-centered, people-oriented,

financially sustainable Fire & Rescue Service by

2030. Phoenix provides us with a clear direction,

priorities, and focus; the challenge now is to move

forward with the implementation phase of the

process, using it as a guide to assist in making

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informed decisions which are necessary

during these financially challenging times.

Our intent throughout implementation is to

foster a resilient organization that is both

flexible in approach and accountable in

execution.

Thus, we need to ensure that there are

mechanisms to enable protection and

assistance for all especially those most

vulnerable.

Through partnerships, the P: F&RS should

actively engage the other sectors outside of

government but not limited to: NGOs, the

private and public sectors, big business etc.,

to leverage their capabilities. In addressing

the needs of the future Fire & Rescue

Services landscape, a collaborative effort by

all parties is needed to provide for the most

comprehensive and holistic response to all

those affected.

The P: F&RS will be required to continue to

ensure coherence of policy frameworks,

strategies and approaches that link the

safety of communities under an overarching

frame of Sustainable Development Goals.

This includes consideration of the Fire

Brigade Services Act and regulations, as well

as other relevant legislation such as the Fire

& Rescue Services White paper which aims

to contribute to adaptive and safer

communities. Such linkage will ensure P:

F&RS efforts to be more efficient in dealing

with risks and vulnerabilities in ways that

promote a more integrated framework.

Furthermore, Phoenix will need to be linked

to the integration efforts of global cities and

underpinned by the Provincial administration which

aims for a deeply integrated and highly-cohesive

City Region 2030.

Globalization is connecting cities like never before.

Such connectivity yields benefits for the inhabitants

of large urban areas, but also brings challenges for

city officials to manage the delivery of critical ser-

vices, which are increasingly distributed, and non-

geographic in nature (internet, telecommunications,

energy provision, etc.).

In the context of safety within cities, globalization

may present a double-edged sword for city

managers and inhabitants alike. On the one hand,

the characteristics of the modern city, like high

population concentrations, places of assembly,

compact architectural structures, and complex,

interconnected infrastructure systems might

increase the vulnerability of the city to major fires

and other disruptive incidents.

On the other hand, most urban environments offer

considerable strengths in terms of economic

production and distribution, human resources, civil

society and the availability of services, which can all

be used to significantly reduce disaster risk and

vulnerability.

Urban security is a growing issue in the world’s cit-

ies, both because the global population is already

predominantly located in cities, and because the

continued growth of urban populations will increase

the ultimate consequences of disruptive incidents

that might affect cities in the future.

The Gauteng City region is faced with exactly the

same problem. The combination of population

growth, the nature of technical systems within the

GCR, will have significant implications for the

vulnerability of communities within the GCR.

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Therefore, developing appropriate mecha-

nisms to prevent, plan for and manage fires

and other disruptive events in the GCR will,

in the future, be a key aspect of urban

security for the GCR.

2. Gauteng City Region – The

Global City

2.1 The problem statement

1. The majority of the GCR

inhabitants live in urban areas,

and according to all prognoses,

population in cities will continue

to grow in the coming decades;

2. In the context of urban safety

management: the GCR can be

both the most secure and the

most dangerous place to be when

disruptive incidents strikes.

3. Developing appropriate

mechanisms to prepare for and

cope with complexities of the

GCR will, in the future, be a key

aspect of security policy-making.

4. The GCR should be geared to

improve the capacity to predict

new or unforeseen risk by

diversifying capabilities for risk

assessment and improving inter-

agency collaborations.

5. In addition, the GCR must adopt

new approaches to urban safety

that are sufficiently flexible to

adapt to a changing risk

environment and to safeguard

urban security.

6. GCR populations experience many chronic,

extensive risks associated with marginal living

conditions and poor service delivery, from poor

sanitation and disease to dwelling fires, seasonal

flooding and crime and violence.

7. GCR populations will increasingly face a range of

emerging risks including communal violence and

unrest, water scarcity, acid mine drainage and

food insecurity, with inevitable Climate Change

likely to drive and exacerbate many problems.

8. Given the prospect of increasing risk, there is an

urgent need to reduce the vulnerability and

increase the resilience of GCR towns and cities.

It is not enough simply to respond to and

manage the fires, we must proactively seek to

address the risk which gives rise to these fires.

9. This requires the integration of risk reduction

into planning processes, including land-use

planning and management, water resource

management, infrastructural developments and

building design and construction.

The GCR as a global city is multicultural,

geographically distinct and a dynamic place where

both the poor and rich reside. It is a structured and

organized human system, and its existence as focal

a ‘node’ in the delivery of services to the global

society places it at the center of discussion about,

disruptive incidents and the mechanisms for

avoiding or mitigating the consequences. Yet, the

GCR is also a place of both diversity and

centralization, where cross-border economic, social,

cultural and technical processes flourish.

Information, communication, energy, transpor-

tation and trading systems for instance are based on

a variety of transnational networks and infrastruc-

tures that revolve around the city. The GCR

represents the reality of accelerated globalization,

which has degraded administrative boundaries and

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facilitated the interconnectedness of urban

centers and nations in the global economy.

In the context of dealing with fires and other

disruptive incidents, there are two schools of

thought regarding the increasing complexity

of the global city, and the services they

provide. On the one hand, complexity

increases the robustness of service systems

(particularly critical infrastructures) because

increased connectivity creates redundancy,

thereby overcoming issues associated with

random faults and disruptions or targeted

attacks.

On the other hand, complexity may be a

problem for the city and its services if those

services rely on all the supporting

connections remaining constantly viable,

which may not be the case in times of

disruption or given the dynamic nature of

the global city.

Importantly, with globalization has come an

increase in the consequences of disruptive

incidents in cities, and although there are

arguments for robustness, complexity has

heightened the vulnerability of the city

system to change or disruption caused by

hazards.

Most scholars perceive the global city no

longer as a closed and self-sustaining system

that can withstand disruption

independently, but rather as an open system

that is increasingly characterized by its

external connections and

interdependencies. This open and dynamic

nature is increasingly acknowledged in fire

prevention and post-incident planning and

management, but likely requires a different

approach to deal with the outbreak of

disruptive incidents from the traditional top-down,

‘command and control’ model.

The traditional focus in dealing with prevention of

fires have been on physical systems and technical

fire prevention measures. Such prevention

mechanisms typically focused on making physical

systems resistant to consequences of fire. Such an

approach is based on the idea that communities can

use technology to control outbreak of fires and en-

sure their safety.

The underlying (traditional) planning model has

been criticized for implying a static concept of

dealing with the outbreak of fires and sees

prevention as a linear problem that can be solved in

isolation. Research in different domains suggests

that the complexity of human systems, and cities in

particular, calls for a more sustainable and inclusive

conception of ‘fire prevention’ that links technical

prevention mechanisms with building resilience and

places fire prevention in a much larger context.

Improving the resistance of technical systems to the

outbreak of fires is certainly essential as their failure

may result in damage and injury, but the focus of fire

protection research in recent years has increasingly

shifted towards the role of building awareness of

communities in reducing fire and safety risks and

responding effectively to fires and other disruptive

incidents.

The P: F&RS have been a global leader in

orchestrating the shift from technical approaches to

fire prevention, to building resilient communities

through the introduction of public awareness

campaigns and programs aimed at making

communities safer since the early 2000s. It has been

building strong networks and partnerships over the

last few years in order to further prevent and

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mitigate outbreak of fires within the

Gauteng City Region.

In many of the other global cities, attempts

are also being made to engage stakeholders

and the broader population in making

communities safer, but unlike in some other

global cities, in Gauteng it is not completely

dominated by government officials and

experts.

There has been a very deliberate attempt by

the P: F&RS over the years to involve the

broader society and not just public sector

departments. Greater community

involvement is driven through the

knowledge that in many cases the capacity

to keep everybody safe from disasters and

fires all the time, is impossible. Additionally

there is the perception that if people prepare

themselves, they can play a greater role in

mitigating the risks they face, without a

significant investment of resources from the

various spheres of government.

Many cities are exposed to hazards because

of their geographical location, while global

cities are arguably more sensitive to those

hazards because of their systemic

complexity.

The GCR for example is exposed to various

risks such as floods, dolomitic risks, informal

settlement fires, earth tremors, community

unrest and may be more sensitive because of

its globally connected nature and culturally

diverse population. For these reasons, the

GCR can be considered to be both socially

and technically one of the more vulnerable

cities in the World today.

While good governance can limit the social,

economic and technical impact caused by

these hazards, it cannot guarantee that the

City Region escapes the effects of such

incidents. A particular trend in community-

centred prevention and protection

strategies in the urban context is specific

targeting of the most vulnerable

communities.

Phoenix is built upon the premise that the

safety of our communities is paramount, and

that through building effective and stronger

partnerships, The P: F&RS is being

recognized as global leader in reducing

vulnerability in communities is a funda-

mental goal of preventing the outbreak and

occurrence of fires.



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3. Six central development challenges associated with the GCR as a result

of urbanization The Cities Network report (August 2014) on the implications of Migration, Mobility and Urban

Vulnerabilities on Urban Governance, states that through synthesizing the challenges present in the

urban context, six central developmental challenges have been identified (see Table 1). These six

challenges help in understanding the components of vulnerability of cities; the characteristics of urban

vulnerable groups, their urban setting (location), and how urban inequalities lead to poor health

outcomes. It is argued that any attempt to improve – and sustain – the health of urban populations, a

key urban vulnerability, requires that local level policy makers and practitioners understand, engage

with, and address these challenges.

Challenge Description

1. Urban inequalities

These are differences between rich and poor groups/places, used as a predictor of poor population health. Urban inequalities are experienced in multiple ways, including inequitable health outcomes.

2. Migration

Internal and cross-border migration are features of urban growth and of the urban context. This includes those migrating in pursuit of improved livelihood opportunities as well as individuals fleeing persecution (asylum seekers and refugees). Many urban migrants remain connected to their household of origin through an interlinked livelihood system.

3. Informal

settlements

Urban growth places pressure on limited appropriate and well-located housing and land tenure opportunities. This results in increases in the numbers of people residing informally in and on the edge of urban areas.

4. Residents

with ‘weak rights to the city’

Urban poor groups are increasingly consisting of migrant populations. They may experience challenges in claiming their rights within the city. This can include the right to access basic services, housing, health services, documentation and employment.

5. Urban HIV

prevalence

Whilst not all developing country urban contexts experience high urban HIV prevalence, this is particularly true in sub-Saharan Africa. In South Africa, urban HIV prevalence is found to be double that in rural areas, and highest within urban informal settlements. HIV provides a contextual challenge which requires much more than a sectoral health response.

6. Fragile urban

livelihood systems

The livelihoods of urban poor groups are determined by the context in which they are located, and the opportunities and constraints that this context provides. Survivalist livelihood strategies refer to individuals working within the informal economy during a time of crisis. A period of survival is when individuals are unable to plan far into the future, and instead spend their energy surviving day to day.(Vearey 2008)

Table 1: South African urban contexts present six central developmental challenges

Source: (adapted from Vearey, et al. 2010); Vearey (2008); Balbo and Marconi (2005: 13)

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4. GAUTENG PROVINCIAL FIRE & RESCUE SERVICES AS A GLOBAL LEADER

4.1 The Changing environment

The P: F&RS are mindful of how the GCR will change over the coming years. We cannot be sure how

the future will look, but we are using information available to guide and inform our thinking and to test

relationships between those changes and our current understanding of the associated risks.

We are also considering the impact of predicted climate change and what action we will be taking to

respond to a changing climate. We can reasonably expect to deal with more grass and open land fires

during the summer (anticipating increased temperatures and less rainfall) and more flooding in the

winter (anticipating increased rainfall).

Gauteng City Region (GCR), with over 16 million people, is the largest and richest region in the country,

contributing appr 45% of the national Domestic Product (GDP) (Stats SA, 2011).

Rapid population growth due to in-migration, concentrated in a few locations, has resulted in strong

spatial polarisation, urban sprawl and tracts of under-utilised land between main urban centres. This

pattern of development not only reinforces existing inequalities but generates high economic and

environmental costs.

GCR places greater emphasis on joint planning,

coordination, and collaboration across

municipal borders to realise efficiency gains and

improve the performance of Gauteng’s

economy. This therefore calls for a need to

strengthen interdepartmental and inter-sphere

cooperation to realise a GCR vision of seamless

development.

The Gauteng Provincial Fire & Rescue Services

Unit is well placed to become a global leader

given its vast experience, knowledge, and

expertise in Fire & Rescue Services and emergency response by 2030. In the next 14 years, this

experience, knowledge and expertise need to be leveraged more effectively through multiple avenues

including through a comprehensive and integrated process of strategic planning.

As part of its legislative obligations the Gauteng Province have specific role and responsibilities in the

delivery of Fire & Rescue Services as outlined in chapter 6 of the Constitution, 1996. In addition to the

strategic role which is similar to that executed by national government as mentioned in the White

Paper on local Paper on Local Government, 1998 the Constitution allocates the roles to provincial

Government on Fire & Rescue Services. Fire & Rescue Services in the province must manage and

coordinate firefighting activities in support of municipalities involved in rural and urban firefighting

operations.

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The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, confers legislative powers on the various levels

of government. Schedule 4 of the Constitution lists the functional areas of concurrent national and

provincial legislative competence. Both national and provincial legislatures are empowered to

promulgate legislation on these functional areas.

The Schedule is furthermore divided into two parts. In terms of this Schedule the province has

concurrence competence to legislate matters concerning fire-fighting Services listed under Part B.

In terms of Section 156(1) of the Constitution a municipality has executive authority in respect of

matters listed in part B, which therefore includes Fire-fighting services, and has the right to administer

those matters in accordance with national and provincial legislation. Section 151(4) states that neither

the national nor provincial government may compromise or impede the ability or right of a municipality

to exercise its powers or perform its functions.

The administration of the Fire Brigade Services Act, 1987 (Act No. 99 of 1987) was assigned to the

Provinces in October 1994; Sections 2 and 15 of the Fire Brigade Services Act were excluded and the

authority of these two sections lies with the Fire Brigade Services Board and Minister of Provincial and

Local Government.

The White Paper on Local Government, 1998 defines the roles and responsibilities of provincial

government as follows:

1. A strategic role – with respect to developing a vision and framework for integrated economic, social

and community development in the province through the provincial growth and development

strategy;

2. A development role – provincial governments should ensure that municipal integrated

development plans combine to form a viable development framework across the province, and are

vertically integrated with the provincial growth and development strategy;

3. An intergovernmental role – provincial government has an intergovernmental role to play with

respect to local government. It should establish forums and processes for the purpose of including

local government in decision-making processes which affect it;

4. Regulatory role – Section 155 (7) of the Constitution gives national and provincial government the

legislative and executive authority to see to the effective performance by municipalities of their

functions in respect of matters listed in Schedules 4 and 5, by regulating the exercise by

municipalities of their executive authority with respect to the local government matters listed in

Parts B of schedules 4 and 5, and any other matter assigned to local government by legislation.

Taking the above into consideration, the Department responsible for the administration of the FBSA at

a provincial level play a critical role of supporting municipalities in the optimal delivery of fire services

to communities. While it is important (as outlined in the White Paper on Local Government, 1998:81)

that provincial governments will need to tailor their approaches to supporting local government

9


according to the specific conditions which prevail in each area, the following are some key roles and

responsibilities of this sphere of government in the provision of fire services:

1. Ensure implementation of a Provincial strategic agenda for fire services;

2. Establishment of provincial oversight mechanisms;

3. Ensuring adequate linkages and alignment with existing intergovernmental structures for purposes

of advancing the objectives of the fire service;

4. Ensure provincial coordination of fire services activities in the province;

5. Establishment of institutional arrangements to support cooperation between fire services in the

province;

6. Supports implementation of a national fire services strategic framework;

7. Supports the development and implementation of a national fire safety program.

8. Monitoring and evaluation of fire services in the province

9. Establishment of intergovernmental and advisory committees to ensure stakeholder participation

in fire services activities;

10. Ensure provision of education, training, research, and capacity building for fire services;

11. Ensure the provision of annual reports to oversight structures;

12. Provision of support to fire services stakeholders on urban search and Rescue;

13. Establishment of a Fire Services Coordination unit to oversee the administration and

implementation of the fire services legislation and the performance of duties alluded to above.

As fires and major incidents affect all aspects of development, deeper cross-sectoral collaboration will

be needed by 2030 to fully implement a comprehensive Fire & Rescue Services strategy. It is essential

that these disruptive incidents are approached holistically across the GCR and coordinated through an

effective Incident Management System.

It is also further expected that P: F&RS should administer dedicated platforms for cross-sectoral and

cross-boundary collaboration to actively engage other sector departments mandated to cover,

respond to and render support to different types of risks with regional implications for the GCR.

This would allow for significant progress for us to better assess the needs and provide protection to

vulnerable communities; Furthermore, for a more robust people-centered and networked approach to

be fully operational in the next ten years, the P: F&RS should establish Provincial task forces (with

strong Provincial and National links) to better coordinate emergency responses across government

departments and to institutionalize its operations as well as to implement One GCR Response strategy.

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However, it will be important to look beyond the GCR and engage with neighboring entities such as

cities and provinces as important players in managing fires and major incidents and clarify their

involvement in this effort. This would connect government agencies and move GCR capacity towards

achieving a whole-of-government approach to deliver effective and efficient Fire & Rescue Services.

This would, in turn, facilitate greater coherent Fire & Rescue Services across all spheres of Government,

ensure the effective institutionalization of Fire & Rescue Services operations, and carve the way for P:

F&RS to be a world leader in Fire & Rescue Services by 2030.

Furthermore with a consolidated approach to Fire & Rescue Services, drawing on the strengths at

multiple levels of governance would ensure P: F&RS dominance of the sector by 2030. This would entail

greater coordination with other bodies from outside the region, positioning P: F&RS as a pioneer in

transforming the Fire & Rescue Services landscape in the GCR and beyond.

Such a position would necessitate a collaborative approach with local, national and global institutions

drawing on the trust and regional experience that the GCR offers with the broader experience of global

institutions which will ensure synergy between all stakeholders by 2030.

In addition to global institutions, it is important for P: F&RS to continue to engage and utilize existing

networks with other local and regional organizations, considering regional organizations will continue

to occupy a wider space in the Fire & Rescue Services landscape.



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3. P: F&RS Organizational Purpose, Values and Obligations

VISION 2030

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3.1 INTRODUCTION

The purpose, values and obligations of P: F&RS serve as a guide for all actions and decisions made by

the organization and its employees. Our goal is to use Phoenix to shape the future of P: F&RS and to

enhance our influence and credibility with our stakeholders. This section of the document depicts the

P: F&RS vision, mission, core values and guiding principles and their impact on our operational

initiatives and overall strategic plan.

3.2 Vision and Mission

Our vision is bold and aspirational. The journey of reform gives us the opportunity to build on best

practice and deliver, through our partnerships, real improvements to the health, safety and well-

being of Gauteng’s communities.

Vision: Fully established World class Fire & Rescue services within Gauteng City Region, to

ensure safer communities.

Mission: We provide coordination and support to Fire & Rescue Services partners within the

GCR.

3.3 Core Values

Our employees chart the behavior and performance for P: F&RS through BACKDRAFT:

Behaviour We behave within our code of ethics and controls which govern conduct and performance.

Accountability We are obligated and willing to accept responsibility and to answer for the results of our performance and conduct.

Communication We consistently share and provide access to information throughout P: F&RS to enhance collaboration and to eliminate ambiguity, frustration and uncertainty.

Kindness We embrace kindness and equal treatment as paramount to all human capital and business affairs.

Drive We consider all P: F&RS members worthy of high regard and driven by a desire to see others succeed.

Respect We consider all P: F&RS members worthy of high regard and have a sincere desire to see others succeed.

Awareness We are aware of the obligations vested in us, and we accept responsibility for our actions.

Fairness We strive for impartiality, equity and conformity with service delivery standards, rules and regulations.

Trust We optimistically rely on the character, ability and strength of each member to contribute wholeheartedly to the success of P: F&RS

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3.4 Our Strategic Goals

1. Effective and efficient Fire & Rescue Services. 2. Safer communities. 3. Promote a culture of pre-planning and risk avoidance. 4. Capacity Building and professional development.

3.5 Our Strategic Objectives

1. To ensure effective coordination and support of all Fire

& Rescue Services with the Gauteng City Region.

2. Implementation of programmes and initiatives to

improve Fire & Rescue Services response capabilities.

3. To improve the safety of communities through the

implementation of awareness campaigns and safety

educational programs.

4. To implement initiatives to contribute to capacity

building and development of expertise within the Gauteng Fire and Rescue Service.

Figure 2: P: F&RS Strategic Objectives

Figure 1: P: F&RS Strategic Goals

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3.6 Key strategic challenges The Provincial Fire Services unit’s Vision, Mission, and Values have lead it to recognize two key requirements for

Vision 2030:

1. That the period planned for will present a number of important challenges and opportunities for the Fire

Services within the GCR;

2. That a limited number of strategic objectives are needed to focus these challenges and guide service delivery.

Strategic Challenges Relevant Strategic Objectives

Safe Communities

Ensure safe communities through awareness campaigns and public awareness programmes

To improve the safety of communities through the implementation of effective fire safety education programs.

To ensure effective coordination and support of all Fire & Rescue Services with the Gauteng City Region.

Alternative service delivery models Understand how communities will change in future and resource for:

Wall to wall metro system of government

Non-fire emergencies

Hazardous Material Incidents

Specialist operations (e.g. Urban Search & Rescue).


Implementation of programmes and initiatives in support of municipalities to improve community fire outcomes.

Social responsibilities

Deliver, in partnership with local, provincial and national organisations, prevention and risk reduction services that impact on fire and non-fire emergencies.

Respond to the effects that changing demographic and urbanization trends have on service delivery.


To improve the safety of communities through the implementation of effective fire safety education programs.

Inter-governmental relations Integrate service delivery and knowledge sharing with local government to help meet Fire & Rescue Service needs.

To develop and implement a marketing strategy that articulates core messages targeted for each key Fire & Rescue Services stakeholder.


Technology

Increase technology driven demands, expectations and impacts;

Maximise emerging technology opportunities;

Implementation of an interoperable radio communication system that have cost effective operational benefits.



Training and Development The quality of training that personnel receive directly influence three critical outcomes:

The speed and efficiency that lives can be saved at emergency incidents;

The economic value of property lost at emergency incidents;

The safety of fellow emergency service personnel at incidents.


To implement initiatives to contribute to capacity building and development of expertise within the Gauteng Fire and Rescue Service.

Table 2: Strategic challenges and its relationship with strategic objectives



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GOALS STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

NDP TMR B2B FIRE SERVICES WHITE PAPER

OUTCOMES IMPACT

1. Effective and efficient Fire & Rescue Services

1. Coordination and support

1. Responsive, accountable, effective and efficient local government system.

1. Transformation of State and Governance.

1. Good Governance

Legal and policy reform is fundamental to improve the ability of Fire & Rescue Services to respond to the changing and growing needs of society.

1. Reduce the number and severity of fire, injuries and deaths.

Safer com

mu

nities

2. Safer Communities

2. Prevention 2. Modernisation of the public service

2. Public Participation: Putting People First

Fire Services should be proactive in preventing fires and other risks, rather than simply reacting to fires;

2. Improved safety, health and well-being of local communities.

3. Pre-planning 3. Response capabilities

2. An efficient, effective and development orientated Public Service

3. Accelerating social transformation

4. Building Capable

Institutions and

Administrations

Fire & Rescue Services should have good institutional and administrative capabilities that support its roles and purpose;

3. High levels of public satisfaction and confidence in our services so people feel safer.

4. Capacity Building 4. Professional Development of the Service

Fire & Rescue Services should put people first , be community based and driven;

ALIGNMENT AND IMPACT OF PHOENIX



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4. Strategic Framework Phoenix provides overall strategic direction and will be supported by the implementation of strategic plans in

alignment with CoGTA 2030 vision for the implementation of the GCR.

Phoenix sets out the P: F&RS vision and priorities for Fire & Rescue Services within the GCR. It describes what

the P: F&RS expects of the Fire & Rescue Services and sets the Fire & Rescue Services’ role in the context of

the wider GCR. Phoenix is built upon the foundation of the NDP, Gauteng TMR, the B2B as well as the White

Paper on Fire & Rescue Services. It also promotes innovative solutions, recognizing expertise, sharing

resources and enhancing capacity across Fire & Rescue Services and with the wider public sector.

Gauteng’s Fire & Rescue Services progress is greatly enhanced by P: F&RS efforts to take the lead on issues

important to the fire service. P: F&RS will continue to partner with fire and emergency services and

stakeholders to achieve the desired outcomes outlined in Phoenix and its related Strategic Plans. Our goals

are the foundation for our work leading toward a fire safe Gauteng City Region.

4.1 Strategic Goal 1: Effective Coordination and Support of Fire & Rescue Services

P: F&RS collaborates and coordinates with Fire & Rescue Services and stakeholders to enhance capabilities,

interoperability and deployment strategies within the GCR.

4.2 Strategic Goal 2: Safer Communities

The P: F&RS support programs used in conjunction with municipal

Fire & Rescue Services efforts, contributes to significant reductions in

fatalities, injuries and property loss in the GCR. We work to reduce

risk and increase resiliency through programs and awareness

campaigns fire safety.

4.3 Strategic Goal 3: Promote a culture of pre-planning

and risk avoidance

Every response begins as a local event, and it will remain as such for as long as the local authority is able to

deal with the situation. In larger incidents overall success depends upon the rapid integration of neighboring

municipalities, provincial and/or national resources. The P: F&RS programs and initiatives are aimed at

improving the effectiveness of local response and provide guidance on the integration of neighboring

responding agencies.

4.4 Strategic Goal 4: Capacity Building and professional

development

Through the establishment of a GCR Fire & Rescue Services Academy

by 2020, delivery of training and advocacy of a competency-based

professional development system, P: F&RS aims to continue

providing leadership in fire service executive and technical skills

development and advocating for a single Provincial system of

training, development and professional development.

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5. Strategic Elements As described elsewhere within the document, the Gauteng City Region faces an ongoing evolution of the humanitarian landscape and nature of fires and other disruptive incidents. While Fire & Rescue Services within the GCR has progressed in terms of cooperation and collaboration, it is evident that the mechanisms to respond to these new challenges need to be further developed. Moving towards 2030, Fire & Rescue Services will need to recognize these changes and adapt their strategies accordingly to ensure a comprehensive and strong response system is in place. This document outlines the directions that may be considered in the next 14 years. There are a multitude of tasks that need to be implemented as the region moves forward to meet emerging challenges. Three mutually-inclusive strategic elements – partnership and teamwork, Institutionalization and Communications, Finance and Resource Mobilization, – have been identified that may guide the improvement of Fire & Rescue Services by 2030. Phoenix maps out the broad strategic direction that will guide the implementation of P: F&RS Strategic Plans over the next 14 years, and is further enforced through a set of strategic elements that has the impact of guiding our actions and are particularly important when faced with situations for which there is no clear set of rules.

Figure 3: Strategic elements driving towards 2030

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5.1 Strategic Element 1: Stakeholder engagements and collaborations

Fire & Rescue Services is an inherently collaborative activity. Success is dependent on multi-disciplinary cooperation and teamwork, amongst GCR stakeholders. This section highlights the strengths of partnering with entities at provincial, national, and local levels in the public, private and people sectors. In particular this strategic element also determines the importance of drawing on the local knowledge and capacity of NGOs and civil society. It further identifies the potential roles of the P: F&RS to become a network coordinator of regional centers for excellence in Fire & Rescue Services leadership and management that can facilitate knowledge creation, policy analysis and training for the next generation of Fire & Rescue Services practitioners. It finally recognizes that the role-players and stakeholders within the GCR community can provide strategic policy analysis and support the development of the region as a global leader in Fire & Rescue Services. The two key themes running throughout the document are a focus on ensuring safer communities and how collaboration supports this agenda. Managing with less whilst maintaining appropriate services to citizens has become a clear driver in the current economic climate. It is important that all activity is prioritized on the basis of achieving real results for the citizen and communities. Collaboration, both in terms of efficiencies/economies of scale and providing more rounded seamless services, will be a key element in maintaining and improving services. In the aftermath of fire incidents, partnerships prove critical in ensuring that humanitarian assistance and relief is provided to affected communities. Partnerships are also important in building resilience amongst GCR stakeholders and preparing communities to effectively respond to fire incidents and other disruptive incidents through further stakeholder coordination. Local NGOs, civil society organizations, which include faith-based and youth groups, often have a greater advantage in emergency situations because of their ability to respond faster, tap local networks, and understand the local contexts. In the GCR, many initiatives have progressed with regard to partnership with civil society organizations and these organizations and partnerships can respond immediately and efficiently as they are typically members of the affected local community, speak the local language and understand local norms and culture. The new focus of P: F&RS in strengthening partnerships realizes the vision of a people-oriented, people-centered GCR. It is important to encourage these relationships and build upon new ones over the next 14 years as communities evolve. The trend of private sector companies coming together to respond indicates the potential for a more coordinated approach in mobilizing and utilizing resources. The involvement of the private sector during emergency response will also contribute to innovation as well as effectiveness and efficiency. Therefore, it is important for the GCR to have a coordination mechanism with the private sector to enable private sector to participate actively in prevention and awareness efforts within the GCR. It is also important to integrate local knowledge and capacity as a key stakeholder in Fire & Rescue Services response over the next 14 years. It will be essential for local communities to be heard, participate and influence the outcome of decision-making. Through integrating local communities into the decision-making process it will create stronger communities and will lead to a resilient GCR.

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A resilient city is a sustainable network of physical systems and social communities that are both strong and flexible. Cities are complex systems organized around technologies, businesses, organizations, in-frastructures, and socio- demographic characteristics (population density, social stratification, service delivery, etc.). While each of these components of the system has likely been designed and developed, or is evolving independently, and operates autonomously, in order to be resilient they must be managed, organized and controlled in a distributed fashion that in- corporates flexibility. Other important features of the resilient city are redundancy, reorganization and learning, and each characteristic is briefly described below and represented in figure 2.

5.2 Strategic Element 2: Institutionalization of

coordination and support mechanisms

The further institutionalization of coordination and support mechanisms to Fire & Rescue Services is a strategic element that identifies the need for a multi-layered and cross-sectoral governance approach driving the integration of the GCR Fire & Rescue Services Community. It further determines that the strategy moves beyond the provincial and national levels and develops response strengths at community levels. This will also be crucial to determine the impact on future generations. It also highlights the importance of communication exchange between all stakeholders involved.

5.3 Strategic Element 3: Financial support and resourcing

As we look forward to 2030, one of the key challenges will be how to finance and mobilize the necessary resources to move towards full implementation of Phoenix. Over the next 14 years it is of critical importance to re-evaluate the funding structure and map out a strategy that will transform the way in which Phoenix and the P: F&RS are funded. Financial resourcing and collaboration in the context of building resilience, encompasses a fundamentally bottom-up approach, and is sometimes viewed as a difficult approach. In smaller, poorer municipalities in particular, the dependency on national and provincial funding can lead to tensions between the municipalities’ desire for planning autonomy on the one hand and the governments’ requirements for control and accountability on the other. Addressing the three strategic elements outlined above would position P: F&RS as a pioneer in transforming the Fire & Rescue Services landscape in the GCR and beyond, and strengthen its leadership to maintain GCR safety and stability.

Figure 4: The elements of building a resilient GCR

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6. General Conclusion At a time of accelerated globalization, fighting fires and dealing with other disruptive incidents within urban

environment is becoming increasingly complex. GCR Officials needs to respond to the shifting nature of these

types of incidents with enthusiasm and flexibility.

The combination of rapid migration and the nature of technical systems within the GCR, will have significant

implications for the vulnerability of communities within the GCR. Therefore, developing appropriate mecha-

nisms to prevent, plan for and manage fires and other disruptive events in the GCR will, in the future, be a key

aspect of urban security.

Six general conclusions are drawn from the strategic direction and challenges highlighted by Phoenix, each of

which reflects the changing aspects of incident complexity and adaptability with in urban context:

1. It highlights that modern day pre-planning is being characterized by the need to adapt to uncertainty

and unpredictability.

2. It also illustrates that recovery following major fires and disruptive incidents are becoming just as

important as responding to these events.

3. It has become clear that government officials need to take on new roles in the pre-planning and

management of fires and other disruptive incidents within the GCR.

4. There is a need to explore the challenges and opportunities presented by new incident communication

technologies.

5. There is a need to intensify the drive of prevention and awareness information at vulnerable

communities within cities.

6. Finally, Fire & Rescue Services are required to start thinking beyond traditional jurisdictions or borders

in order to address risk from complex crises.

6.1 Adapting to limited predictability

The increasing complexity of urban areas, combined with growing complexity in the nature of risks, inevitably

leads to decreased predictability of new risks. Pre-planning against dealing with outbreak of fires and

disruptive incidents is by no means a static field. GCR Official are to closely follow academic discourses and to

apply techniques or methodologies that suits local contexts and circumstances as well as yielded proven

results.

Fire & Rescue Services need to adopt a double-track strategy in response to the decreased predictability of

potential incidents. On the one hand, GCR needs to improve its capacity to predict new or unforeseen risk

possibilities. In doing so, municipalities have significantly stepped up their capabilities for risk assessment and

risk analysis processes in recent years.

On the other hand, the GCR should also acknowledge the limits of prediction of fire incidents and other

disruptive incidents. New approaches have been developed that allow management processes to adapt to

changing risks and new risk environments; and these should be explored by the GCR. Initiatives like a focus on

fostering the self-efficacy of communities, or strengthening the networks among stakeholders involved in

response and recovery across administrative and municipal boundaries are representative in this context.

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6.2 Response and recovery

An important shift can be observed in urban security practice that embodies a stronger concentration on

institutionalized support for recovery following an incident or emergency. This change can be traced back to

a common acknowledgement in the Fire & Rescue Services community, where despite the continued

refinement of safety mechanisms and risk management systems, there are limits to the return on investment

of resources deployed in direct response to fires.

While this shift is evident, the biggest of government resources dedicated to reacting to fires or emergencies

are still directed to the initial emergency response. Even so, ensuring communities, infrastructures, services

or systems recover adequately and appropriately, within as short as possible a time-frame remains a

fundamental goal of Fire & Rescue Services officials. Returning to ‘normal’ (where feasible or even possible) is

the key objective in returning communities to ‘normal’.

6.3 New roles for government actors

The increased focus on flexible and adaptive approaches for coping with emergency incidents within cities has

had major influence on the organization of Fire & Rescue Services in cities. Fire & Rescue Services responses

that can be characterized by a ‘command and control’ attitude and are organized in a purely hierarchical in-

stitutional manner are no longer standard practice. Without shared responsibility (between governments, the

private sector and members of civil society) it is very difficult to deal with today’s increasingly complex emer-

gencies. Indeed, this shared responsibility may magnify the consequences of fires in modern urban areas,

exaggerating connectedness and interdependency.

While responsibility sharing may have become a key factor, government institutions nevertheless retain the

legal authority (and overall responsibility) for Fire & Rescue Services. Therefore, instead of dissolving their role

into a ‘network of irresponsibility’, governmental actors are increasingly found to have redefined their role

from one of command and control to one of focusing on coordinating planning processes, synchronizing

responses and encouraging joint exercise and preparation.

While officials are well aware of the utility of measures that foster self-efficacy at the community level or

establish stakeholder dialogue about fire prevention, they also are constrained by scarce institutional

resources (financial and personnel particularly). In this sense, building partnerships is seen as a way to deliver

long-term goals, like community resilience building.

The city Fire & Rescue Services manager can foster resilience ‘from the bottom-up’ by bringing together key

social actors and partners and by supporting the public outreach activities and awareness campaigns NGOs

and other partner organizations. An alternative way to engage more directly with stakeholders and the general

population is made possible by new information and communication technologies. For example, social media

networks facilitate many new opportunities for direct exchange between existing partners and the estab-

lishment of new partnerships between authorities, social stakeholders and the general public.

The development and application of scenario exercises are other areas where governments increasingly play

an important role. These long-term planning exercises can serve several goals. First, they allow institutions to

identify and address risks proactively and facilitate planning for the most probable, not just the most recent

disaster. Second, exercises are the best way to determine whether urban systems are prepared for disaster or

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not. Finally, scenario exercises can be used to strengthen cooperation and coordination mechanisms, but more

importantly to build personal networks and mutual trust.

6.4 Exploring new technologies

The application of new technologies, which can be deployed to serve known and particular purposes, are

characteristic of all stages of urban incident management. New technologies that improve communication are

generally no exception to this pattern.

In the last few years, social media has grown into an influential form of mass communication. Fire & Rescue

officials should recognized that social media is a powerful tool to quickly communicate to a large number of

people about incidents in real time. Many Fire & Rescue Services actively communicate through social media.

However, the medium’s use by authorities as an institutionalized method of communication is in its infancy

and therefore still attracts a measure of circumspection.

One new application that social media has been used for in several recent significant incidents around the

world is ‘crisis mapping’. Geographic information systems (GIS) are already important tools for planning land-

use in urban areas, risk identification and assessment. Increasingly, it is also used for situational awareness by

professional emergency managers in crisis.

Social media is now being used by the general public to communicate incidents, and usually, volunteers draw

this information with specially developed software into a real time ‘crisis map’. While such real-time mapping

of incidents by the general public is an attractive resource for institutional Fire & Rescue Services managers,

there are still concerns that the information contained within crisis maps is unverified and not entirely

trustworthy. Aside from the mapping and communication possibilities that social media presents for Fire &

Rescue Services, new technological systems like social media networks can significantly enhance risk and crisis

communication between city officials, other organizations involved in Fire & Rescue Services, disaster

management, and the general public.

6.5 Targeting vulnerable communities

In cities, the weakest link in responses are often the vulnerable communities or minorities. Cities are diverse,

and there can be many communities with own cultural or ethnic identities, poor local language skills, or fewer

financial means. They may not receive, interpret correctly, or properly understand incident information or

warnings. Likewise, the elderly, people with health problems or disabilities require different communication

techniques or information than the general public, and may require extra physical assistance, especially in

cases of evacuation.

Targeting vulnerable communities is an important means by which Fire & Rescue Services can improve the

GCR’s general response to and recovery from major fires. Managing outbreak of fires properly in the city and

ensuring urban security, is about bringing the responses of diverse population components together in a

holistic and comprehensive process.

While the issue of demographic diversity is widely acknowledged among disaster managers, the means to

address it are often not clear and are certainly sub-population specific. This translates to the need for extra

resources to support nuanced risk communication and disaster planning processes. In several of the cities,

disaster planners are taking steps to improve the demographic mapping of their cities in order to accurately

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locate vulnerable sub-populations – a necessity if these populations are to be specifically targeted. Other cities

distribute risk information in several languages that correspond to the most important sub-populations.

Closer dialogue between Fire & Rescue Services and members of the public, particularly using public meetings

to obtain feedback on planning processes, has been a powerful means of gaining a stronger understanding of

community-specific disaster risk management deficiencies or opportunities. Ultimately, the mechanisms used

by cities to target vulnerable communities must be specific to the cities, to the hazards the communities at

risk, and to the nature of the communities themselves.

6.6 Thinking beyond borders

Fire & Rescue Service members and planners should increasingly be thinking and planning outside of the

traditional jurisdictional boundaries that characterized their historical operational ‘territory’. While geography

remains the basis for planning, closer consideration of issues beyond traditional planning boundaries is now a

fundamental feature of Fire & Rescue Services planning. This development mirrors the recognition that cities

are geographically expanding, but after all spatially distinct.

The need to incorporate beyond-border contexts in modern planning is particularly evident in places that share

geographic, cultural or political closeness. For example, the municipalities within the GCR actively cooperates

with neighbors in its pre-planning and Fire prevention processes. In-land and coastal provinces may be bound

to shared agreements that encourage cross-border disaster planning or incident response training; Cities like

Sydney, which is relatively isolated compared to other cities in the study, nevertheless draw on the interna-

tional Fire & Rescue Services community to improve practice. In the context of wildfire, a hazard that both

Sydney and Los Angeles face, personnel, researchers and techniques are often shared. Globalization may

complicate Fire & Rescue Services responses, but it also connects Fire Services managers in a major way.

The breakdown in jurisdictional adherence is not only occurring in the geographical sense. Institutional

integration, both horizontally and vertically, is now a fundamental characteristic of Fire & Rescue Services

planning and management processes and practices. The driver may be related to questions of how best to

organize systems of responsibility to manage complexity in fires or threat adequately and effectively.

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VISION 2030

“Fully established world class Fire & Rescue Services within the Gauteng City Region to ensure safer communities by 2030”

Coordination and support structures

Leaderships

Partnerships and collaborations

‘We have fully functional coordination and support structures in place”

We are a global leader in our field”

‘We improve our relationship with our emergency services stakeholders”

By 2030 we will: By 2030 we will: By 2030 we will: Have an organizational design in place

with the best of skills in the world.

Be the employer of choice.

Have a strong influencing on shaping policy within the GCR

Work with our partners to eliminate duplication of Services.

Have fully operational coordination and

support structures to ensure effective

and efficient Fire & Rescue Services

within the GCR.

Have performance that is equal to, or better than, any Fire & Rescue Services in the world.

Have established MOUs and working relationships with other Fire & Rescue Services.

Have strong relationships with international bodies and institutions.

Adaptability Capacity Building and professional development

Pre-planning and prevention

“We recognise the need for change and does so rapidly”

“Fully established GCR Fire & Rescue Services Training Centre”

“We will have effective local responder capabilities in place”

By 2030 we will: By 2030 we will: By 2030 we will: Work with communities and

stakeholders to anticipate their

changing needs.

Adapt our processes and approaches

effortlessly and speedily whenever the

need arises for changes to be affected.

Have access to well-trained and motivational leaders, supported by high-quality professional development programmes.

Have a fully established GCR Fire & Rescue Services Training Academy.

Deliver effective service through standardized risk-based approach and processes throughout the GCR.

Have effective local response in place.

Safer communities Reduction of fire risk

Community liaison

“We will have safer communities”

“We will reduce the number of injuries to our people and the GCR public”

“We have strong partnership with our communities”

By 2030 we will: By 2030 we will: By 2030 we will: Have a fully functional GCR Safety and

Prevention Strategy.

Have reduced the rate of fire deaths

and property losses in vulnerable

communities.

Have significantly reduced the number of serious injuries and harm to our people as result of fires.

Have improved community-focused awareness campaigns and risk awareness programmes.

Work effectively with our communities to reduce the number of incidents

Have a clear understanding of our role in communities and what is most important to them.

Have improved response mechanisms to respond to community needs.

FULLY ESTABLISHED

WORLD CLASS FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE

SAFER COMMUNITIES

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rise of the phoenix vision 2030 roland hendricks

Leadership & Management