Summer season safety in the Western Cape

Whether you’re planning to spend your holiday visiting the beach, a camping facility or staying at home, it’s important to always keep safety in mind. 

We need to take responsibility for our own safety by following some basic rules to make sure that we don’t put ourselves in harm’s way by being careless.

Together, we can ensure that you’re prepared for any situation by providing you with information that you can use should the need arise.

Fire Safety

During the summer and holiday season we spend a lot of time outdoors at the beach, having picnics and braais. Make sure that you know the basic safety precautions to avoid fires in and out of the home or what to do in case of a fire.

Here are some general fire safety tips for you and your family and more information on what to do in case of a wildfire.

Safety on the road

During the summer holidays we tend to travel on the road more, visiting family and friends. We also tend to drive longer distances to holiday destinations which is why it's important to have your vehicle tested for roadworthiness. This is to make sure that your vehicle doesn’t fail you or becomes the cause of an accident due to preventable mechanical failure.

You can find more useful road safety tips and facts on the Safely Home website.

Train safety

When you commute to work or the beach with a train because it’s cost effective and you don’t have to deal with the stresses that come with peak hour traffic, you need to be aware of the basic safety rules when using the train. 

Safety measures to take in the case of poisoning

The best precaution to take with poisonous substances and animals is to avoid situations which involve these risks. The great outdoors also brings with it the possibility to encounter poisonous snakes, spiders, insects and sea creatures. Remember that animals usually act on instinct and fear. Never provoke animals or deliberately go into a protected habitat where there are clear dangers.

Keep household items which are poisonous in locked cabinets or out of reach of children who can mistake the substances for cold drinks or sweets. Being informed about the measures to take to prevent poisoning can mean the difference between life and death.

Use our handy tips to prevent poisoning to prepare you for a trouble-free time indoors and outdoors.

Keeping children safe during the holidays

During school holidays parents struggle to keep their children busy and out of harm’s way. If you’re at a loss on how to keep your child safe and constructively busy during the school holidays, then consider enrolling them in our Mass participation; Opportunity and access; Development and growth (MOD) programme.

Fireworks safety tips

With the holidays and festive season around the corner it’s always exciting to light fireworks and enjoy the explosive entertainment that it provides. 

It’s important to follow these 13 firework safety tips to make sure everybody is safe while enjoying the visual entertainment.

Calling for help in an emergency

We want your summer to be safe, but in the event that you should face an emergency, here’s what you should do when you need emergency medical care.