MEDIA KIT FOR JOURNALISTS
What to do if you attend a veldfire in the Overberg
FIRE SEASON 2024/2025
Journalists are permitted, and welcome, to attend veldfire incidents in the Overberg.
In an ever-changing electronic landscape, we are (trying) to improve our methods of communication.
Physical visits to an incident will need the necessary permission from the Incident Commander and where the Fire Services deemed it is safe to do so. There are, however, certain steps journalists must please take in order to ensure a safe experience for both the members of the media and the teams fighting the fire.
Take note of the following
- When referring to members of the media, this includes print and broadcast reporters, photographers and videographers, as well as freelance print reporters, videographers and photographers.
- While the Incident Commander and Fire Services will do their utmost to provide safe access for the media to fire incidents, the member of the media attending the event is ultimately responsible for his/her own safety. Therefore, should a member of the media attend a veldfire, they absolve the goFPA, Overberg District Municipality (ODM) Fire Services and Overstrand Municipality Fire Services from any liability that could arise as a result of the fire incident.
Access
- The Incident Commander or designated representative must approve the reporter’s request. Request for such visits will be coordinated by the communication officer.
- The media will be escorted by a qualified person to a safe location from where they can report on the veldfire incident.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Members of the media must wear the required clothing. This includes:
– Closed shoes
– Cotton clothing
They should also bring essentials with, including:
– Bottle of drinking water
– Food for sustenance during extended attack
Recommended (but not essential)
We recommended members of the media to undergo basic fire-fighting training. Please chat to the goFPA team for details on available courses.
Denial of access
The Incident Commander reserves the right to deny access to members of the media should he/she deem it to be unsafe to attend the fire incident, or where he/she feels the lives of fire-fighters could be compromised.
Live streaming from incidents
Besides providing access to veldfire incidents, the goFPA will livestream updates from veldfire incidents where possible to do so, in order to ensure accurate and up to date information is shared and allow interaction/questions. These will be featured on the goFPA, ODM or Overstrand Municipality Facebook pages. We’ll share more details on this option with members of the media in due course.
Accurate information
In order to prevent fake news from being shared regarding veldfire incidents, there are three sources that can be trusted regarding veldfires in the Overberg:
- goFPA Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/@goFPA)
- ODM Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/OverbergDM)
- Overstrand Municipality Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/overstrandmunicipality)
The right connections
The goFPA has set up a WhatsApp group, called Overberg Wildfires Media. Here accurate information is shared regarding veldfire incidents, and reporters can post any questions they have. This WhatsApp group will also be used to share voice notes for broadcast media updates, as well as photos where possible. Please contact Louise Wessels to be added to this group: manager@overbergfpa.co.za or Riana Steenekamp: rsteenekamp@overstrand.gov.za
For more information, visit: www.overbergfpa.co.za
Or contact goFPA Manager, Louise Wessels: 083 327 0477 or email: manager@overbergfpa.co.za
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