“As we gather here today to commemorate International Firefighters Day we pay tribute to the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe. Our firefighters are the true heroes of our community, and their unwavering commitment and dedication to their profession is an inspiration to us all.”
Fire Services from the Overberg, West Coast, Garden Route and City of Cape Town joined crews from the Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch, Breede Valley, Drakenstein and Witzenberg to show their skills. Photo’s: Angelo Julies
Eikestadnuus
Fire Services from the Overberg, West Coast, Garden Route and City of Cape Town joined crews from the Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch, Breede Valley, Drakenstein and Witzenberg to show their skills.
Fire Services from the Overberg, West Coast, Garden Route and City of Cape Town joined crews from the Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch, Breede Valley, Drakenstein and Witzenberg to show their skills.
Fire Services from the Overberg, West Coast, Garden Route and City of Cape Town joined crews from the Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch, Breede Valley, Drakenstein and Witzenberg to show their skills.
Fire Services from the Overberg, West Coast, Garden Route and City of Cape Town joined crews from the Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch, Breede Valley, Drakenstein and Witzenberg to show their skills.
Fire Services from the Overberg, West Coast, Garden Route and City of Cape Town joined crews from the Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch, Breede Valley, Drakenstein and Witzenberg to show their skills.
Fire Services from the Overberg, West Coast, Garden Route and City of Cape Town joined crews from the Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch, Breede Valley, Drakenstein and Witzenberg to show their skills.
Fire Services from the Overberg, West Coast, Garden Route and City of Cape Town joined crews from the Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch, Breede Valley, Drakenstein and Witzenberg to show their skills.
Fire Services from the Overberg, West Coast, Garden Route and City of Cape Town joined crews from the Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch, Breede Valley, Drakenstein and Witzenberg to show their skills.
Fire Services from the Overberg, West Coast, Garden Route and City of Cape Town joined crews from the Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch, Breede Valley, Drakenstein and Witzenberg to show their skills.
Fire Services from the Overberg, West Coast, Garden Route and City of Cape Town joined crews from the Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch, Breede Valley, Drakenstein and Witzenberg to show their skills.
So said Executive Mayor of the Cape Winelands District Elna von Schlicht, who addressed a special event to mark International Firefighter’s Day on Thursday 4 May. “I pledge to do everything in my power to support our firefighters and ensure they have the resources they need to carry out their duties safely and effectively,” she said. “We owe them our respect, our admiration, and our gratitude.”
International Firefighter’s Day was established to recognise not only the dedication firefighter’s show but also to remember those who paid the ultimate price in the line of duty. The day kicked off with a formal motorcade led by the cadets of the Cape Winelands District Municipality’s (CWDM) Fire Services Academy, followed by firefighting vehicles and crew.
Fire Services from the Overberg, West Coast, Garden Route and City of Cape Town joined crews from the Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch, Breede Valley, Drakenstein and Witzenberg to show their skills. The formal salute and formalities concluded with the moving Ringing of the Bell ceremony, before teams gathered to demonstrate various firefighting techniques such as high-altitude rescue, extrication, hazardous material management and the ever-popular toughest firefighter challenge.
The event was well attended by members of the public as well as several partners, such as CapeNature, Western Cape Disaster Management and several suppliers to the industry. That there is a great sense of pride and camaraderie among firefighters was perfectly captured in an overheard conversation between CWDM’s Chief Fire Officer Wayne Josias and Chief Fire Officer Royston Harris of Swartland Municipality.
While watching the demonstrations, Josias turned to Harris and said, proudly: “Jissy, Harris your guys are looking good!”
