TCCC Made us proud
Thabazimbi – Three members of Thabazimbi Crisis Control Centre (TCCC) formed part of the Dynamic Incident Management Team deployed to the Marloth Park flood incident during tropical cyclone Eloise.
When cyclone Eloise hit, there were great concerns that the substantial rain might cause the Crocodile River to flood causing damage to the Marloth Park and surrounding areas. In order to assist, Dynamic Incident Management received a delegation of authority from Marloth Park to render support.
The team was deployed to Marloth Park on Saturday 23 January and met with the agency representatives and the initial attack incident commander for a briefing and transfer of command. An Incident Action Plan for the night’s operations was compiled within two hours and a small briefing was held the afternoon before the operational period started.
The team faced many challenges because the storm caused power outages which in turn made communication efforts more difficult. IMT worked around it and established regular communication and notification methods to all parties involved including the community members. Their major concerns and priorities were to establish an evacuation centre and prepare residents below the flood line for evacuation as soon as trigger points were reached. They were monitoring the catchment’s river flow rates and dam levels two-hourly including weather updates, providing residents and visitors with constant information updates and assistance to ensure their safety.
Although the water level did increase the low dam levels resulted in no immediate flood threat for Marloth Park.
However, the gravel road infrastructure leading to the river was seriously damaged and some ‘no go’ zones were established. Part of the electrical fence was washed away, allowing wild animals to enter from the Kruger National Park. Walking curfews were introduced from 18:00 to 06:00, because of risks to people wondering close to the river edge looking at the river coming down.
Reports of migrant birds which deviated from their normal flight routes came in, with Bird SA requesting community members to contact them to collect such birds for rehabilitation if possible.
It is important that we prepare and plan for critical incidents, as preparedness is key. Floods, tornados, cyclones and other disasters require high levels of readiness. The saying “prevention is better than cure” is quite true in pre-incident readiness.
Thabazimbi is proud to have this brave team as part of their community.
Dynamic Incident Management would like to thank the following agencies for releasing their personnel to be part of the team:
- Incident commander - Stephen Devine - Firescape
- Public information officer - Maritza Swanepoel - Letaba Fire Protection Association
- Planning section chief - Michelle Kleinhans - Dynamic Incident Management
- Operations section chief - Henk Havenga - TCCC
- Logistics section chief: Annelize Havenga - TCCC
- Situation unit personnel - situation updates and maps: Juan-Dre Havenga - TCCC
- Marloth park personnel
- Initial attack incident commander - Vaughan Potgieter
- Communications - Nadine Edgecombe
- Branch directors and group supervisors - Nkomazie park ranger Jaco Minnaar, traffic official JJ Erasmus, Securicon Ambulance Services’ Yolandi Dippenaar, Wild and Free’s Deidre Joubert.
- Marloth residents’ liaison - Pat Vorster
- All the Marloth Park sector leaders for regular updates and inputs
Marloth Park organisations that opened their facilities
- Tin Shack: Location of the Incident Command Post and breakfast
- Needles Safari Lodge: Hosting the Incident Management Team members
- Techconnect: Providing Wi-Fi for the Incident Command Post
- Amazing Kruger River View: supplied dinner
- Marloth Park residents, we thank you for your support and cooperation during the incident.
Dynamic Incident Management established an incident management team (IMT) to render incident management assistance to landowners, agencies, the private sector, and governmental sectors during incidents.