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...

Are We Forgetting Who We’re Protecting? Firefighting PPE never has and never be about “fashion or hip,” It’s rather about comfort, practicality and above all offering protection and confidence when you’re walking into danger. When you’re exposed to all sorts of dangers, you should be able to confidently rely on your protective gear. Every strap, every seam, every layer of that suit is there to protect you, yet increasingly and somewhat unbelievably , the decisions about what that gear feels...