SCIENTOLOGY VOLUNTEER MINISTERS, HELPING EMERGENCY CREWS BATTLE CAPE TOWN FIRE
15th February, 2006
The fire begins on Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa
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With firefighters battling the fire for 60 hours straight, volunteers provided food and drinks to help keep them going
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The crisis was handled and new friendships were forged
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Cape Town Mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo thanked the Scientology Volunteer Ministers for their help
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A team of Scientology Volunteer Ministers from Cape Town, South Africa were among the volunteers who rushed to Table Mountain on Thursday, January 26th, 2006. Fire had broken out at 4:00 pm and within an hour gale-force winds had caused it to spread over a vast area, requiring the city to mobilize all available resources from 27 metropolitan fire stations in addition to the Air Force fire-bombing helicopters.
The oldest city in South Africa and the legislative capital of South Africa, Cape Town’s landscape is dominated by its most famous landmark, Table Mountain, which was the site of the out of control fire.
The Volunteer Ministers Disaster Relief Team of the Church of Scientology of Cape Town set up operations to assist the firefighters and other emergency personnel by distributing food and supplies and providing Scientology Assists1 to help them cope with the task that confronted them.
The large yellow tent of the Volunteer Ministers soon became the hub of operations, with the Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) using it to brief the teams searching for the 16 people who were reported missing and firefighters lining up for food and drink between stints where they battled the fire.
In a press conference, televised from the Volunteer Ministers tent, Cape Town Mayor, Nomaindia Mfeketo, said the fire was tragic and city residents should be proud of the commitment of the fire brigade and volunteers who worked non-stop putting their own lives at risk to save the lives and property of others.
With KFM Radio issuing a challenge on the air, community support was tremendous: non-governmental organizations, restaurants and private individuals donated food, drinks and literally tons of ice to help everyone cope with the scorching temperatures of the South African summer. The Scientology Volunteer Ministers joined with others to distribute the goods.
For 60 hours, a total of 500 people took part in the firefighting effort, including the city fire team, SA National Parks, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, SA Air Force helicopters and numerous volunteers, until the fire was brought fully under control.
1. Assists are techniques developed by L. Ron Hubbard. They operate on the principle that one tends to withdraw mentally or spiritually from an injured area. Only by restoring communication with this area can one bring the spiritual element into healing, thereby greatly speeding the healing process. Assists are used to alleviate stress and physical aches and pains, or to orient a confused or distraught individual to his present environment.
Learn on-line how to do Scientology Assists.
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