What is a Fire Protection Association (FPA)?

A Fire Protection Association (FPA) is an organisation formed by landowners to predict, prevent, manage, and help fight veldfires in an area in order to protect lives, livelihoods, property, and the environment.

Further, it is an organisation that has been registered as an FPA by the Minister responsible for the administration of the National Veld and Forest Fire Act (NVFFA) (Act 101 of 1998).

Who is the Letaba Fire Protection Association (LFPA)?

The Letaba Fire Protection Association (LFPA) was formed in 2007 under Chapter 2 of the National Veld and Forest Fire Act (NVFFA) (Act 101 of 1998).

The LFPA area of operation as registered with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, stretches within the Greater Tzaneen, and Greater Letaba Municipal boundaries.

In 2021, the Letaba Fire Protection Association registered as a NON-PROFIT COMPANY (NPC), to align itself with the FPA’s across the country.

The Letaba FPA’s main focus in the past was forestry, but as fire risk increased on all levels, it was important to include all landowners especially agriculture and farming activities to ensure a fire safe area. This is still being done today where any landowner may join the LFPA.

The LFPA Base, where you will find our Offices, Dispatch, Runway and Heli-pads is
situated at the Waterval Airstrip in Politsi, between Tzaneen and Modjadji Kloof in Limpopo.

The LFPA contracts in aerial firefighting aircraft each year from June to October, to assist its aerial members with uncontrolled veldfires in our area.

The LFPA is responsible for the day to day management of these aircraft and staff during the five months fires season.

LFPA have a fully functional dispatch centre, operating 11 months of the year. This is where multiple two-way radios and telephones are installed for communication. During June to October our dispatch centre is manned by 2 fulltime dispatchers to assist members with aircraft dispatching and other support functions during active fires.

Services

It’s important to understand that under the National Veld and Forest Fire Act, it’s required that landowners have enough trained staff and firefighting equipment to have a reasonable chance in preventing fires and stopping them from spreading to adjacent properties. Landowners must comply with the NVFFA whether they FPA members or not!

FPA’s help their members to adhere to these requirements and legal responsibilities by providing advice, guidance and training about how to reduce the risk of uncontrolled veldfires.

The LFPA is not a fire service, but a platform for landowners in its area to coordinate efforts and share resources during fire incidents while benefitting from all the services.

The LFPA have numerous contacts in the field, therefore the assistance regarding firefighting during devastating fires are not limited to the above-mentioned resources.

More information on member services and benefits; see document MEMBER BENEFITS

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The Team

Team
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