Firefighting Equipment Requirements
MFPA Business Plan Section 7.2 & NWUFPA/PFPA Rules Section 1.2
MFPA Equipment Requirements
The following table sets out the minimum firefighting equipment required by the MFPA for properties in the Madibeng area. Equipment must be maintained in good working order and be readily accessible at all times.
| Land (Ha) | Fire beaters | Knapsacks (15L) | Cell phones | Mobile radios | Trailer pump (1000L) | Drip torches | First aid kits | Rake hoes | Bakkie sakkie (500L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – 100 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| 101 – 500 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 501 – 1,000 | 20 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 2 |
| 1,001 – 4,000 | 40 | 20 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 40 | 2 |
| 4,001 – 10,000+ | 100 | 40 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 100 | 4 |
Bakkie sakkie: A slip-on water tank unit (typically 500 litres) that fits onto the back of a bakkie/pickup truck, with a pump and hose reel for rapid response.
MFPA Personnel Requirements
The following table sets out the minimum firefighting personnel required by the MFPA, based on the total land area under the owner's control.
| Land (Ha) | Fire Fighters | Fire Crew | Fire Officer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – 25 | 2 | 2 | — |
| 26 – 100 | 4 | 4 | — |
| 101 – 500 | 9 | 5 | — |
| 501 – 1,000 | 19 | 10 | — |
| 1,001 – 4,000 | 30 | 15 | 1 |
| 4,001 – 10,000+ | 100 | 20 | 1 |
MFPA Safety Clothing Requirements
Every person involved in firefighting activities must be equipped with the following personal protective equipment (PPE) as specified by the MFPA.
Required PPE (MFPA)
- Overall: Pyrovatex flameproof overall (jump suit)
- Under-layer: Cotton T-shirt
- Footwear: Ankle-length leather boots
- Head protection: Fireman's helmet with heat shield visor
- Communication: Radio
- First aid: First aid kit
Occupational Health & Safety
In addition to firefighting equipment and PPE, landowners must comply with the following health and safety requirements when conducting any burning or firefighting activity:
- First aider: At least one qualified first aider must be present for every five (5) people involved in the firefighting or burning activity.
- First aid boxes: Adequate first aid supplies must be available on site as prescribed by the Occupational Health & Safety Act (H&S Act). First aid boxes must be clearly marked and accessible.
Additional Reference: NWUFPA/PFPA Equipment Requirements
The NWUFPA applies PFPA equipment requirements as the provincial reference standard. The following table from the PFPA provides a more granular breakdown with 8 property-size categories. It may be useful as additional guidance, particularly for very large properties or landowners operating across multiple FPA areas. In the MFPA area, the MFPA requirements above take precedence.
| Land (Ha) | Bakkie sakkie | Fire tender 2500L | Tractor trailer 2000L | Knapsacks | Beaters | Rake hoes | Fire lighter | Mobile radios |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – 10 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| 11 – 50 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 4 | 4 | — | — |
| 51 – 100 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 6 | 6 | — | 1 |
| 101 – 1,000 | 2 | — | — | 4 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| 1,000 – 5,000 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 4 |
| 5,000 – 8,000 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 8 | 1 | 4 |
| 8,000 – 12,000 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 20 | 10 | 2 | 6 |
| 12,000+ | 10 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 20 | 10 | 2 | 6 |
Additional Reference: NWUFPA/PFPA Safety Clothing
The PFPA specifies slightly different PPE standards, applied as the NWUFPA provincial reference. Notable differences from MFPA include cotton overalls instead of pyrovatex, gumboots as an alternative to leather boots, and the inclusion of gloves and safety glasses (which the MFPA list omits but are good practice to have).
NWUFPA/PFPA PPE
- Overall: 100% cotton overall (no synthetics)
- Under-layer: Cotton T-shirt
- Footwear: Ankle-length leather boots or fire-retardant gumboots
- Gloves: Leather or cotton gloves
- Eye protection: Safety glasses