Matheus David
A small device is making a big difference in Windhoek’s fight against fires. City of Windhoek mayor Ndeshihafela Larandja has praised the City’s ongoing project to install smoke alarms in informal settlements, calling it a powerful step toward saving lives and restoring peace of mind.
In Namibia, fires remain one of the greatest threats to life and livelihoods, especially in informal settlements, whereby high-density living and limited access to emergency services increase vulnerability.
Statistics show that in 2024 alone, the City of Windhoek Fire Brigade responded to over 2000 fire-related incidents, of which nearly 200 were dwelling fires and nearly 75% occurred in informal settlements. These fires claimed lives, destroyed homes, and wiped away the belongings of families who already had very little.
Speaking at the opening of International Fire Safety Week 2025, Larandja said that nearly 200 smoke alarms have already been fitted in vulnerable communities, a move made possible through funds raised during last year’s campaign. She described the initiative as proof that “when we combine our efforts and purpose, real change happens”.
A single smoke alarm in a home can cut the risk of fire deaths by half,” the Mayor said, urging residents to take fire safety seriously by learning simple, life-saving habits such as stop, drop, and roll and by creating escape plans for their families.
Larandja also commended residents and firefighters for helping reduce the number of reported fire incidents from 705 to 569 over the past financial year. However, she warned that informal settlements remain the hardest hit, accounting for most of the city’s dwelling fires.
“Our focus is shifting from reacting to fires to preventing them,” she said. “Fire safety is not the job of the brigade alone; it’s something every resident must take part in.”
The City of Windhoek plans to continue expanding community training and investing in modern firefighting tools to strengthen safety in all neighbourhoods.
“Each alarm installed, each lesson learned, brings us closer to a safer city,” the mayor said.