The QRF has been deployed on 16 occasions under the Proof Of Concept mandate (figures as at the end of February 2022). A total of 32.1 hours have been flown and 370 loads or 355 200 litres of water and retardant have been dropped on fires.
We have managed to very conservatively say that we have saved in excess of fifty million rand’s worth of damage to both properties and infrastructure in both urban/peri-urban and rural areas. (The financial figure is a very conservative estimate based on only 6 of the fires that were attended).
To date none of the fires to which we responded developed into fires of more than 4 hectares in size, and there has been no damage to any structures or crops (livelihoods). Dale Nortje (Manager of the WFPA) was a guest speaker at the quarterly InsureTalk Webinar on 25 February 2022, to explain the POC to the insurance industry across the country.
The entire recording is available to watch on the following link: https://youtu.be/eGtYiMRb5X8