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There are plenty of things to do to ensure that you and your family enjoy the festive season holidays safely. Top tips focus on water and driving.
The EMS has called on revellers to be careful around pools during the holiday period
(Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
IT'S that time of the year again, when people wind down and relax after a hard year. Many Joburgers also take long trips to the coast or other holiday spots, and pools are a welcome relief from the summer heat.
To keep citizens safe, the City's emergency management services (EMS) has some tips and advice on getting through this joyful time of year without any mishaps.
For those on the road, the EMS advises that drivers should get an adequate amount of sleep before setting off on their journey, avoid alcoholic beverages and heavy foods, be on the look-out for pedestrians, as they can be hard to see at night and in bad weather, and take a break from driving at least every two hours.
Motorists should also check their cars for roadworthiness and make sure that everything is in order before setting off on their journeys.
Pedestrians should stay off freeways and restricted zones, adds Lorraine Mokgabi, the EMS's communication manager. "They should dress in light colours and wear reflective material so that drivers are able to see them. Use pavements where provided."
Pools
When it comes to swimming, the EMS urges parents not to leave children unattended in and around pools and spas. Children should only be allowed to swim in public pools if there are lifeguards on duty.
Pools should be fenced and chairs and tables should be kept away from the fence to discourage children from using them to climb over. They should also be covered with an SABS-approved pool cover when not in use.
All doors and windows leading from the house to the pool must be kept locked and secured and the pool should be surrounded by a fence or barrier at least three metres high.
Flooding
As summer comes with a lot of rain, the EMS advises people to find out if they live in flood-prone areas. In Joburg these are the Jukskei River system in the east, Jabulani in Diepsloot, Meredale in Naturena and the Klipspruit River system, which runs through Soweto and joins the Klip River.
Mokgabi says that flooding often occurs in low-lying areas because rivers flow more slowly there.
"People can prevent flooding by building trenches alongside rivers to keep them from overflowing during periods of high water. Prevention of soil erosion also helps control flooding, which is why it is a good idea to plant lots of trees."
Safety tips that can save your life and those of others include learning the community's warning signs, listening to the radio for weather updates and warning messages and setting up a family emergency evacuation plan.
Fireworks
Many people like ending their year with a bang by lighting fireworks, but these devices are exceptionally powerful, can damage property and can hurt humans and animals.
The EMS points to a by-law concerning fireworks, which prohibits the use of fireworks in certain circumstances unless they are authorised. Fireworks displays need to be authorised by the council at least 14 days before the date of the proposed event.
If the council approves an application to present a fireworks display, it must provide the applicant with written confirmation of its decision and any conditions that it may impose to safeguard persons and property.
No person may deal in fireworks unless that person holds the required fireworks licence in terms of the Explosives Act.
"Fireworks burn at intensely hot temperatures and explode violently and related injuries are often serious," says Mokgabi. "The most damage is to hands and fingers, followed by eye and other head injuries. People should put safety first when using fireworks."
The EMS will work throughout the festive season; in case of emergency, call 10177.
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