An exploration of the relationship between man and the elements, fire and water, this project further develops these ideas by way of the imagination. Man's attempt to form further connections with these elements is often seen as an act of humanization. It is, however, these investigations that allow for such intimate relationships between humans and elements. This project is a fire station that demonstrates the impact fire and water has on man as well as the impact man has on fire and water. Whether the gentle flame of a candle or the ferocious explosions of a volcano, the clear flowing stream or the passionate throes of the ocean, man finds both companionship and challenge in the elements. Man's manipulation of both fire and water enable materials to extend the limit of their properties. It is this control over elements that enables architecture. / Master of Architecture

On the most basic level, this project fulfills the requirements of a firestation. Elevated to another level, it represents an exploration into the differentiation of things. Geometry gives a formal order, material gives an appreciation of reality. With these, opportunities are created for a richness in architecture; places for man and for machine, places for one and for many. That which is permanent and that which is not. That which knows the earth and that which knows the sky. That which makes us question and that which does not. / Master of Architecture

In understanding the program of a fire station, this project represents much more than a pragmatic excursion into problem solving, but instead focuses on the elements which give my architecture life. The notion of advertising the structure from within, the presence of cores to designate specific places, the appreciation of the quality an internal, open space provides, the love for lasting materials and the importance of the site all play a part in the composition of my architectural palette. The combination of these five levels of thought serve as the catalyst to my work and as all architecture must strive to achieve, they embrace and enrich the human condition. / Master of Architecture

M. Tech. Architecture (Professional) / This dissertation encompasses the development of a new explorative centre for public fire safety education, within the inner city of Pretoria. This centre would serve as the new Northern Gauteng public hub of the Fire Protection Association of Southern Africa (FPASA) The proposal arises from the FPASA's current expansion needs. Their existing facility, based in Boksburg, is fast becoming too small and outdated to cater for the needs of the growing industry. This new facility will function as a public fire safety information hub, dealing with various fields of fire related protection and prevention training, for both private and public participants. This could serve to equip people with the knowledge and experience needed to more adequately protect themselves, their loved ones, as well as their personal belongings from damage or destruction by fire. The site selected for this scheme is situated within the currently dormant Museum Park District of the Pretoria central business district (CBD). The site, as well as its surrounding urban environment provides unique opportunities for the development of a new public-orientated fire safety education centre, which can focus on exposure in a pedestrian rich context. The FPASA's requirements, along with the site chosen for this new facility, provide unique opportunities for the development of a new active public typology within the city. The building should evoke curiosity as well as encourage explorative socio-educational behaviour. Through architectural form, public space, and didactically based educational programmes, this new public facility should attempt to reunite the individual with the built environment, while reaching out to expose the serious issue of fire safety education.

This thesis will present information on the economic feasibility of rehabilitating an older building into office and living space. Data will show that the outlined rehabilitation project can be carried out at a lower dollar cost than new construction for a comparable amount of useable floor space.The rehabilitation project outlined in this thesis had to meet the following criteria. The current owners proposed future use of the building. All proposed modifications to the structure had to meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation to take fullest advantage of the Tax Reform Act of 1976, and local building and zoning regulations. Rehabilitation of the building must provide the owner with enough income to completely off-set the total cost of the project within a ten year period. All of the proposed work on the building would have to meet the current owner's desire to retain as much of the building's original "character" while creating contemporary work/living space. / Department of Architecture

Comprehensive emergency management and response is crucial for disaster prevention and health emergencies. However, in African countries with an abundance of natural disasters and a rising surge in cardiovascular and obstetric emergencies, little research exists on emergency response. This study examines the fire emergency response in Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Ghana's second largest city. We use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools including location -allocation modeling to evaluate the existing system of fire facilities, identify gaps in service, and suggest locations for new fire stations to maximize population coverage. Our results show that fire stations within KMA are poorly distributed and large portions of the metropolis are underserved, a situation that is partly responsible for the huge losses of lives and property during fire outbreaks.

The Eden District Municipality (EDM) is a local authority whose area of responsibility covers the Garden Route and also includes the Klein Karoo. The boundaries are from Storms River in the east, to Swellendam in the west and the Swartberg Mountains in the north. The EDM covers a very big area with seven big municipalities to consider and work with. Five of the municipalities, Langeberg, Mossel Bay, Knysna, George and Oudtshoorn have their own fire fighting services. The EDM fire fighting serves mainly the rural area. This is very costly due to the large distance required to travel to a fire, whereas the local municipalities are operating in their own towns. The new municipal boundaries include the rural areas, but the municipalities cannot service the rural areas because they do not as yet charge rates in the rural areas and therefore there is no revenue for the fire fighting service. They operate on the basis of verbal working agreements that make coordination of fire fighting very difficult. The fire fighting functions of the EDM as a category C municipality and the local municipalities as category B municipalities have been specified in the Municipal Structure Act. The allocation (division) of functions and powers relating to fire fighting service between the district municipality and local municipalities as determined by the Municipal Structure Act (Act 117 of 1998) has not been done. Due to the lack of invested capital, the resources are in a bad state. Some of the services have no capacity to attend to chemical fires or hazardous substance emergencies. Internationally, private fire fighting services can be contracted by government departments. These private fire fighting services are very large and the areas that they serve are extensive. These services have their own personnel structures functioning in an organisational structure that serves them well. These private services are very cost-effective and can therefore offer reasonable rates. Based on an investigation of various fire fighting services and different structures, the proposed structure for fire fighting in the EDM area will be a combination of structures. The diverse nature of the area will make the location of a sectoral structure and extension of its capacity difficult, and several factors that will impact on an new structure must be kept in mind. If all works well it will be relatively easy to achieve the five operations performance objectives envisaged for restructuring namely quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost.