Informal townships are here to stay, we need to help our people who live in these vibrant thriving communities as Shack fires are just one of the problems they face.
Any interventions need to take the social dynamics into account. From a fuel load point of view, shacks often have combustible material stored on the roof, have bottles of paraffin stored inside, and some spaza shops have LPG cylinders.
Most shack communities are laid out in a random pattern. While fire breaks can assist to prevent the spread of fire there is very little chance of these fire breaks being established. Residents will simply build new homes in the empty space. A overhead sprinkler system may be the solution?
This conceptual sprinkler system above would spray water upwards and downwards (blue pipes). The sprinkler system vertical supports would also have water taps to supply the community with drinking water.
A water reservoir would supply diesel driven pumps that would be activated by the community leaders in the event of a fire.
Any interventions need to take the social dynamics into account. From a fuel load point of view, shacks often have combustible material stored on the roof, have bottles of paraffin stored inside, and some spaza shops have LPG cylinders.
Most shack communities are laid out in a random pattern. While fire breaks can assist to prevent the spread of fire there is very little chance of these fire breaks being established. Residents will simply build new homes in the empty space. A overhead sprinkler system may be the solution?
This conceptual sprinkler system above would spray water upwards and downwards (blue pipes). The sprinkler system vertical supports would also have water taps to supply the community with drinking water.
A water reservoir would supply diesel driven pumps that would be activated by the community leaders in the event of a fire.
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