Odwa, who couldn’t stop gazing at his son with a proud smile during the Hermanus Times’ visit, admitted he nearly fainted when his baby was born.
He couldn’t thank the firefighters enough for their assistance with his baby’s birth.
“I am very thankful for everything they did,” he stated.
Stemmet, who started his career as a firefighter with Overstrand Fire and Rescue in January 1997, declared he had delivered at least 40 babies to date.
“Helping a baby into the world is always a special moment for me, no matter how many times one has done this before,” he stated.
Arendse added: “I could never have done this without the whole team’s support. Our crew puts their lives on the line every time they attend a call.”
Overstrand Deputy Mayor Lindile Ntsabo, who is also Mayoral Committee Member for Protection Services, congratulated the firefighters for “going beyond the call of duty”.
“The municipal staff are often called out to all sorts of emergency situations,” he pointed out, “but for firefighters Jaco Stemmet and Tertius Arendse Tuesday 11 April 2023 will be a day to remember.
“Well done to the firefighting crew who are always willing to assist whenever they can.”
To assist the first-time parents with donations of nappies, clothes for a pre-term or newborn, blankets, toiletries and other necessities, please contact Odwa on 061 647 0154.
