On International Firefighters\u2019 Day, the City lauded firefighters for their bravery and the indispensable work they do in communities. But it seems the City isn\u2019t the only government entity that recognises their value \u2013 so do those of other countries around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In celebration of the day, fire stations across Cape Town threw open their doors to the public on Wednesday 4 May to give residents an opportunity to learn more about the City\u2019s Fire & Rescue Service. While visiting Wynberg Fire Station, People\u2019s Post <\/span>learned that local firefighters are being snapped up by overseas\u2019 employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What makes them so attractive is their training and extensive experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Leading a tour of the Wynberg Fire Station, firefighter Taufeeq Charles shared that when it comes to saving lives, the Fire & Rescue Service provides an all-in-one service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe do cats stuck in trees, dogs stuck in drains. The other day we had a bird stuck in someone\u2019s roof. We also do gunshot wounds, maternities, ship fires, building fires; you name it, we do it. Mountain rescue, swift-water rescue, diving \u2013 we have a diving unit also,\u201d said Charles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Elaborating on how frequently staff qualified in basic life support and advanced life support assist in delivering babies, he explained that the residents of a close-by informal settlement, Bonnytoun, came to the fire station for just about any medical problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut we do not transfer people to hospital. We stabilise and treat them and then we wait for the ambulance to come,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Charles, countries like Abu Dhabi, Dubai and India are grabbing South African firefighters \u201clike crazy\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat is why the guys are all leaving for overseas because there it is specialised. If I were to go overseas, I would, for example, just do maybe a ladder.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, he says, it is not for him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe only thing is, if you go and work there, you have to sign a five- or 10-year contract. It is either miss out five years of your family\u2019s life or chase the money.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The trend of firefighters accepting overseas job offers, along with the impact of Covid-19 and retirements, seems to have contributed to a shortage in trained firefighters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wynberg Fire Station runs on a three-shift system. Firefighters work 24-hour shifts with one day on, two days off. Each shift is supposed to be manned by 10 firefighters, but at present there are only eight people on duty per shift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere are supposed to be four guys at the back of the fire engine; we are only running three guys at the back of the engine, so we are way understaffed,\u201d said Charles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the past six months, the service was augmented by 40 seasonal firefighters, recruited for the summer season to assist with combatting wildfires. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith, the service responded, to 8 202 vegetation fires between November last year and April this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is in addition to the thousands of emergency calls to which the Fire & Rescue Service responds throughout the year \u2013 22 632 to be exact, between (Saturday) 1 May (last year) and (Thursday) 28 April (this year),\u201d said Smith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhile the bulk of these calls are fire-related, 3 709 were motor vehicle accidents, 569 incidents of assault and many medical emergencies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to all the dangers firefighters face daily in the pursuit of saving and safeguarding others\u2019 lives and property, they have in recent years also become the targets of attacks. A search on Google, using the words \u201cattack on firefighters in Cape Town\u201d, generated about 33 100 results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Addressing this, Smith said he wanted to remind residents that these men and women were putting their lives on the line selflessly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey are there to save the very lives of people who attack them and their equipment. It is unacceptable that during the course of their duties their hoses are sabotaged, vehicles are damaged and they are robbed of City and personal possessions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But despite the high risks that come with being a firefighter, Charles says there is no other job that he would rather do. For him it is about being of service to the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere are people who are so appreciative of what you are doing, saving their property, saving lives, and for me that is the most important thing,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On International Firefighters\u2019 Day, the City lauded firefighters for their bravery and the indispensable work they do in communities. 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