If ever there was reason for a properly constituted disaster management function, the spate of devastating fires that laid waste to large tracts of the KwaZulu-Natal midlands was it.

Fanned by winds that gusted up to 100 km/h, the fires consumed all in their path, wreaking damage running into millions. While the real cost is still being counted in terms of the losses suffered by the timber-growing and farming communities, the loss of human lives cannot be calculated.

Much as the fires demonstrated the terrible beauty of the forces of nature, they also served as a timely reminder of the significance of a disaster management strategy.

The fires also highlighted the need for a professional service that can respond to any disaster, emergency, accident and rescue efficiently, and importantly, as rapidly as possible.

In fact, so important is this function that Government has legislated for its provision in no less than six separate Acts of Parliament.

In essence, disaster management is deemed a mandated function to be executed by local government, whether at local municipality or district municipality level.

This effectively places an onus on local government to provide these services, but due to several factors, is not always possible. The single biggest problem is a lack of capacity, coupled with nadequate funding and poorly maintained equipment that, at the end of the day, translates to an inability to deliver the mandated service.

Enter Rural Metro that provides a turn-key disaster management service that is both efficient and cost-effective. In fact, such is the efficacy of the Rural Metro solution that is able to provide the full portfolio of services at a cost cheaper than a local authority is able to.

For this reason, it provides an outsourced fire fighting and disaster management service to 19 local and district municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal.

Its services are tailor-made to the unique and often specific needs of local authorities that include fire-fighting, rescue, dealing with hazardous materials, fire prevention, communications and disaster management. Rural Metro also brings other advantages to the table – it employs people from local municipal areas, provides superlative training that exceeds the minimum industry standards, all plant, equipment and materials are supplied by the company that, at the termination of a contract, reverts to the municipality, and provides public liability to the value of R10 million.

At issue is the provision of a premier and inclusive disaster management function. Judging by the number and diversity of satisfied clients that have put Rural Metro to the test, the company is more than meeting its mission.