City of Joburg unveils state-of-the-art Central Fire Station
The City of Johannesburg has officially opened its new Central Fire Station, a modern facility designed to improve public safety and response times for both Johannesburg and the broader community.
A commemorative plaque for the station was unveiled on Thursday, October 2, with officials from the fire service and the City present to mark the occasion.
The state-of-the-art facility, built at a cost of more than R71 million, was unveiled by Mayor Dada Morero, alongside his Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Public Safety, Dr. Mgcini Tshwaku.
The station is a transformative, durable facility, featuring a six-storey training tower, fire engine bays, a lifting tank, and advanced simulation facilities, ready to handle any emergency.
It also houses the BE Safe Centre, which promotes public safety education, and provides recreational spaces for personnel, including a gym, swimming pool, and braai area.
The original building, which dated back over 90 years, fell into disrepair and was officially decommissioned in 2018, placing enormous strain on the inner city’s Central Emergency Management Services.
With devastating high-rise fire disasters such as the Marshalltown Fire, where 76 people died in August 2023, the much-needed revamping of this once-iconic fire station offers a beacon of hope for inner-city residents.
In his keynote address, Mayor Morero said the City, working together with different departments, has demonstrated its capacity to improve the quality of life for its citizens.
“Despite recent fires testing our resolve, we stand determined, with this station a beacon of hope and resilience. To our firefighters, thank you for your service. I encourage residents to engage with the BE Safe Centre to learn and contribute to community safety,” he said.
Morero also honoured the men and women who have died while in the line of duty.
Johannesburg Development Agency CEO, Themba Mathibe, said the fire station is a flagship development built to the highest standards to ensure the EMS team has the best possible resources.
The City has also committed itself to honouring some of its fallen firefighting heroes, whose names will soon be displayed on the walls of the Fire Station.
