Soysambu Conservancy
The Soysambu Conservancy is located in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley on Lake Elementaita and is a unique protected area featuring diverse landscapes. Due to its remote location and vast expanse, it is prone to wildfires and requires a highly effective fire department.
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Wild animals
in Soysambu Conservancy
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hectare
Natural and agricultural land
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Small firefighting vehicles
ensure safety at the Conservancy
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km
to the next fire station
in Nakuru City
OVERVIEW
This is Soysambu Conservancy
The Soysambu Conservancy is located in the heart of nature, right in the middle of Kenya. Just two hours from the capital, Nairobi, over 12,000 wild animals live alongside people and domesticated animals. Among the wild animals—such as buffalo, hyenas, and tigers—there are also giraffes, zebras, and many different species of birds, monkeys, and countless insects. A wilderness and forest area as large as hundreds of soccer fields, with people living in small villages right in the middle of it. Their main source of income is agriculture and the raising of livestock such as cattle, goats, and sheep.
DIE SITUATION VOR ORT
CURRENT SITUATION
Forest fires break out regularly during the season in the vast nature reserve. Due to the varying elevations and dense forest cover, the fires are often detected too late. There is no fire department that can respond immediately. In an emergency, the rangers—whose primary responsibility is wildlife conservation—are alerted via siren and a telephone chain. They rush on foot—sometimes for miles—to headquarters to drive to the fire site in two Land Rovers equipped with 1,000-liter IBC containers, small pumps, and garden hoses. It goes without saying that this setup cannot prevent or contain larger fires. Medical care in the reserve also leaves much to be desired. There is a single nurse in the entire area who handles all medical emergencies and matters such as vaccinations and first aid for the residents. But here, too, resources are unfortunately limited, and first aid is a foreign concept to most residents.
UNSERE AUFGABE
HOW WE HELP
Last year, the European Fire and Rescue Support Team traveled to the reserve with four instructors divided into two groups to supply the rangers with materials and equipment and train them in their use. The goal was to teach them how to handle the equipment and use it effectively. Over the course of four weeks, the instructors taught the basics of first aid using the provided materials and subsequently introduced the rangers to firefighting. Activities such as applying bandages and transporting a seriously injured person using various carrying systems were practiced, and safety protocols for handling the equipment were reinforced. In view of the wildfire season, firefighting was also a key focus of the training. The extinguishing agents used were categorized, and the rangers were taught how to handle them properly. Furthermore, they were introduced to firefighting tactics and participated in numerous practical exercises. To increase the chances of containing a fire in the event of a blaze, firebreaks were created in collaboration with local forces to prevent the spread of fires. The projects initiated were handed over to local officials before departure and are regularly monitored and advised by the EST.
PROJEKTTEAM
Unser Team für Soysambu
Unser ehrenamtliches Team für Nakuru County.
Aktuelles
Berichte aus Nakuru
Neuigkeiten und Reiseberichte von Nakuru County
GALLERY
A glimpse into our work at the Soysambu Conservancy
Together with the rangers at the Conservancy, we are developing a robust strategy for the early suppression of wildfires and for providing rapid assistance in the event of accidents and medical emergencies.
