Task Force Tips 2026 Burn & Learn: Putting equipment to the test
Fire, water, foam and hands-on learning brought Task Force Tips to the South African fireground.
By Lenny Naidoo and Jackie LeCourt de Billot
There’s a big difference between being told that firefighting equipment works and getting to use it on a live fire.
Firefighters build confidence through experience. They need to know how equipment handles, what it can do and where its limits are, so they can rely on it when conditions get tough. That was the thinking behind the 2026 Task Force Tips (TFT) Burn & Learn programme in South Africa. TFT joined its local partner, Vanguard Fire & Safety, to share its expertise with the firefighters who use its equipment. Held over two days in July, the programme included live-fire training, equipment demonstrations, water and foam applications, and sessions on maintenance and troubleshooting.
The first event took place at Emergency Training Solutions (ETS) in Vereeniging on 21 July. The programme then moved to the Astron Refinery in Milnerton on 23 July. The settings were very different, but the aim was the same: give firefighters the chance to use the equipment and see how it performs.
Bringing the manufacturer to the fireground
For Vanguard, bringing TFT specialists to South Africa was about more than showing off products. It gave firefighters direct access to the manufacturer and the people who know the equipment best.
They could ask questions, compare configurations and operate the equipment themselves. They could also understand what a product can do, and when and why to use it. Specifications only tell part of the story. Practical experience is what helps build confidence. Retired fire chief Lenny Naidoo knows this from years in the field.
“When you are standing in front of a working fire, you don't want to be learning about your equipment for the first time. You want to know how it behaves, what it can do and what to expect when you open the bale or operate the monitor.”
The Burn & Learn programme gave firefighters the chance to do just that.
Emergency Training Services 21 July 2026
At ETS, the purpose-built live-fire environment gave firefighters the opportunity to put a wide range of TFT equipment to work. They used the Twister, Quadrafog, Quadracup, Mid Force, G-Force, Stacked Tip, Transformer and ThunderFog nozzles, along with the Blitzfire, Hemisphere and Crossfire monitors. The demonstrations showed how different equipment can be used as fire conditions change. Firefighters could compare stream patterns, flow, reach and application in live-fire conditions. The TFT Vortex was also demonstrated. It adds a gentle spin to a straight stream to create a narrow, evenly dispersed fog pattern while maintaining consistent water delivery.
The programme also covered foam application, with the ProPak and Foamjet systems. The Hemisphere monitor showed how quickly a ground monitor can move from water to foam application by changing the nozzle and adding a suitable foam eductor.
The live-fire exercises brought home how much equipment choice and application matter. Firefighters explored both offensive and defensive techniques and saw how each could be used in different conditions.
Keeping equipment ready
Live fire tends to draw attention, but a maintenance and troubleshooting session was another valuable part of the programme. TFT service specialist Doug Heller worked with firefighters and technicians to show them what to look for once the fire is out. Equipment used in tough conditions needs to be inspected and maintained properly if it’s going to perform when called on.
The session showed that maintaining TFT equipment needn’t be complicated. Knowing how it’s built, what to inspect and which procedures to follow can make routine maintenance and troubleshooting more straightforward.
For Vanguard, supporting equipment throughout its working life is part of supplying it.
Jackie LeCourt de Billot explains:
“We don't want to simply sell a customer a nozzle and walk away. If we are supplying equipment that a firefighter may depend on in a life-threatening situation, we have a responsibility to support that equipment throughout its life. Having TFT here allowed us to demonstrate that commitment properly.”
Astron Refinery: 23 July 2026
Two days later, the programme moved to Astron Refinery in Milnerton. The refinery setting gave the team a chance to demonstrate TFT equipment in scenarios relevant to industrial and hydrocarbon firefighting.
Hosted by the refinery’s Chief Fire Officer and firefighters, the event brought together personnel from municipal fire departments, Astron Refinery and the South African Navy. The focus was on industrial fire risks, foam application and high-flow firefighting.
Putting water and foam to work
The TFT ProPak foam unit was used in hydrocarbon spill and fire applications. Firefighters compared spinning-tooth and fixed-tooth nozzles, as well as different ways of delivering foam using eductors, self-educting foam nozzles, Foamjet attachments and aspirating foam nozzles. The demonstrations showed how different systems can produce higher-expansion finished foam, and why the method of delivery, equipment choice, flow and reach all affect the result.
Live burns using both water and foam gave firefighters the chance to see the differences for themselves.
High-flow operations
The high-flow equipment was also put to work. The 2,000 LPM Hemisphere monitor was demonstrated for offensive firefighting, while the 2,000 LPM Blitzfire and 4,500 LPM Crossfire monitors showed what’s possible in defensive operations.
The stacked-tip nozzle was another highlight. Firefighters saw how it can deliver maximum reach before moving to a diffused stream as conditions change.
The focus throughout was on understanding how the equipment can be used on the fireground, not just seeing what it can do.
More than a product demonstration
A key takeaway from the programme was that equipment training shouldn’t stop at selecting the right product. Firefighters need to know how it performs, why different options are available and how to keep it ready for use.
Having TFT specialists in South Africa created a valuable opportunity for the manufacturer, distributor and firefighters to share their knowledge. TFT brought its engineering and product expertise, Vanguard its local knowledge and customer support, and firefighters their experience using the equipment in real situations.
Bringing those perspectives together made for practical, relevant learning.
Building confidence
Firefighters could operate the equipment, try different configurations, compare applications and ask TFT specialists questions directly. They saw water and foam applications in live conditions, explored offensive and defensive techniques, and learned more about maintaining professional firefighting equipment.
For Lenny Naidoo, that practical approach is essential.
“Firefighters don't build confidence because someone tells them a piece of equipment works. They build confidence by using it, testing it and understanding it. That is what made the Burn & Learn programme so valuable.”
A strong manufacturer and distributor partnership
For Vanguard Fire & Safety, the programme also showed the value of its relationship with TFT. Vanguard has supplied premium firefighting equipment to the South African market for decades, but supplying it is only part of the job. Training, technical support, maintenance knowledge and access to the manufacturer matter too.
The programme brought those elements together and gave TFT the opportunity to meet the firefighters using its equipment in South African conditions. That kind of exchange benefits everyone.
Ready for the next call
The 2026 South African Burn & Learn programme was about more than nozzles, monitors and foam. It was about helping firefighters build confidence, understand their equipment and keep it ready for use.
When a firefighter is facing a working fire, there’s no room for uncertainty. The equipment needs to work, and the firefighter needs to know how to use it. Once the fire is out, the equipment needs to be ready for the next call.
That’s what made TFT’s visit to South Africa so valuable. It brought the manufacturer, distributor and firefighters together on the fireground, where the equipment matters most.
Vanguard Fire & Safety would like to thank Task Force Tips, Emergency Training Solutions, Astron Refinery, the participating fire services, the South African Navy and all the firefighters who helped make the 2026 South African Burn & Learn programme a success.
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