Brandbestryding

Brandbestryding buying guide

Veldkraft lists 160 brandbestryding, priced from R27 to R807 975, from brands including SafeQuip, Mamba, Mirage, Honda. Orders are delivered to all nine provinces and to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini.

Plan equipment around your land

Choose fire fighting equipment by the area you protect, the vehicles you have and the people available. A smallholding may manage with extinguishers, fire beaters and a bakkie sakkie, while a large farm with grazing and firebreaks usually adds a trailer or skid unit with more water and pressure. Fire Fighting Units holds the pumping units, Spares and Accessories holds hoses, nozzles, guns and engine parts, and Blowers are listed separately.

Bakkie sakkie, skid unit or trailer?

Pick the format that matches your vehicle and the ground. Bakkie sakkie units, such as 1000 litre Flowbin units, sit on a load bed and move quickly along farm roads. Skid units combine tank, pump and engine on one frame, for example a 650 litre tank with a Honda GX160 engine. Trailers of 1500 and 2500 litres carry more water and come as braked units. Water weighs about 1 kg per litre, so check payload and towing capacity.

Low pressure or high pressure?

Pressure sets how far and how hard the water reaches. Low-pressure units, such as those rated at 2.8 bar, suit mop-up, small fires and wetting down. High-pressure units, such as 9.5 bar trailers, throw water further and let a crew work a fire line from a safer distance. Twin-stage pumps generally deliver more pressure than single-impeller pumps. Count the outlets too: a three-outlet trailer lets several people work from one tank.

Extinguishers, blankets and smoke detectors

Keep portable equipment where fires start: kitchens, workshops, vehicles and fuel stores. Dry chemical powder (DCP) extinguishers from Inta and SafeQuip, in sizes such as 1 kg and 2.5 kg, suit vehicles, tractors and small rooms. A 1.2 m by 1.2 m fire blanket smothers small pan and clothing fires. Smoke detectors with long-life lithium batteries give early warning in homes. Check extinguisher gauges regularly and follow the label for inspection and refilling.

Fire beaters and protective basics

Fire beaters remain the basic hand tool for putting out grass fires and mopping up along the edge of a burn. A beater with a wooden handle is light and easy to replace. Give one to each person on the fire line, with protective clothing, gloves, eye protection and drinking water. Beaters work on short grass and the flanks of a fire; bring in water units for longer grass and hotter flames, and never work alone.

Engines, hoses and spares

Keep spares so every unit is ready when it is needed. Spares and Accessories includes suction hose and venturi head kits, Turner Morris trigger guns, heavy-duty nozzles, spark plugs for Honda engines and replacement engines such as a 5hp Briggs & Stratton diesel. Start each pump engine regularly in the off-season, check fuel, oil and the spark plug, and flush the pump with clean water after use. Match hose and nozzle threads to your pump outlets.

Brandbestryding: common questions

What fire fighting equipment does a farm need?

Most farms need a mobile water unit, hand tools and portable extinguishers. A bakkie sakkie or trailer carries water to the fire, fire beaters handle grass fires and mop-up, and DCP extinguishers protect vehicles, tractors and buildings. Add fire blankets in kitchens, smoke detectors in homes and spares for every pump engine.

What size fire fighting trailer should I buy?

Start with your tow vehicle. A full trailer weighs its water load, about 1 kg per litre, plus tank, pump and chassis, so check the vehicle's rated braked towing capacity. Then consider the land: large farms and long firebreaks benefit from 1500 or 2500 litre trailers, while smaller properties often manage with a 1000 litre bakkie sakkie.

What is a bakkie sakkie?

A bakkie sakkie is a self-contained fire fighting unit that sits on the load bed of a bakkie. It combines a water tank, a pump with an engine, a hose and a nozzle. Units listed include 1000 litre Flowbin versions with 2.8 bar pumps, in compact and executive layouts. They suit quick response on farm roads, mop-up and protecting buildings.

How much does fire fighting equipment cost in South Africa?

Veldkraft lists 160 fire fighting products priced from R27 to R807 975. Spark plugs, fire blankets, beaters and small extinguishers sit at the low end. Price rises with tank size, pump pressure and stages, engine type, number of outlets and trailer mounting with brakes, so trailer units cost more than bakkie sakkie units.

Which fire extinguisher is right for a tractor or bakkie?

A dry chemical powder (DCP) extinguisher is the usual choice for vehicles, tractors and workshops; check the label for the fire classes it covers. A 1 kg unit fits small vehicles, and a 2.5 kg unit gives longer discharge for bakkies and machinery. Mount it within the driver's reach and follow the label for inspection and refilling.

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