Being a firefighter is normally a physically and mentally demanding job, one which they train for continually. But for six West Rand firefighters, this physical and mental training has become an even bigger priority.
On 20 and 21 September, six firefighters from the West Rand took part in the Toughest Firefighter Alive South Africa Challenge. The competition was hosted at the Roeland Street Fire Station in Cape Town.
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The competition consisted of a hose drag and make up, an obstacle course, an equipment carry and a stair run.
The News decided to catch up with four of these tough firefighters before they competed to see what makes them tick and what made them want to win.
Here’s what the firefighters had to say:
• Thabo Nkoe
This 33-year-old has been a firefighter for the past five years and said that helping people has always been one of his passions.
“It was important for me to contribute to the community,” he said.
He said that he trained hard with his team mates. It is not as easy for him to train at home, but luckily he had his team mates to train with him.
“At the moment, to be honest, I don’t have any challenges,” he explained when asked what his biggest challenge during the competition will be. His friends promptly reminded him that he had trouble with the wall but he said that he has mastered it and is more confident now. “Bring on anything now, I am ready,” he proudly said.
What Thabo loves most about his job is that being a firefighter means working with a team and getting to interact with different people.
When asked if the next Toughest Firefighter in South Africa will come from the West Rand he said, “That is correct”.
• Samson Mokemane
Samson, who is 34, wanted to become a medic but his road brought him to the fire station and he has been a firefighter for almost 10 years.
“I fell in with the fire station and the job happened to be a combination between firefighting and being a medic. Then I started to train as a firefighter and found it to be so interesting,” Samson explained.
Apart from the regular team training they do, he also trained individually to make sure that he would fit in with the pace of the rest of the team.
One of his biggest challenges was the rescue dummy carry, but he said he’d reached the stage where he told himself that he has to go for it now. His favourite thing about being a firefighter is the challenges the job presents.
“I love the challenges that we face. You don’t get the same thing at every call. You find that you have saved someone’s life and property and that is what keeps me going. When someone says thank you, you know you’ve done well,” he explained.
He ‘definitely’ believes that the next Toughest Firefighter will be from the West Rand.
• Thato Molefe
For the past four years, firefighting has been a big part of Thato’s life. The 26-year-old originally started with the Working On Fire teams.
He said that being a firefighter has exposed him to so many new experiences that he had never come across before – experiences that have taught him a lot.
“I trained extra hard to work on top of the wall,” he explained when asked if he did any extra training for the competition.
Thato said his biggest challenge would be the mental challenge of preparing for challenges he has not faced yet. Although it is exciting, it is also a daunting task. But he says that he is now mentally prepared for the competition.
Thato loves being a firefighter because it is a respected field in which people appreciate the work you do.
“I love the community and their spirit,” he explained. He most definitely believes the next Toughest Firefighter will be coming from the West Rand.
• Ashley Benson
Fitness has always been important for the 28-year-old Ashley and when he became a firefighter eight years ago, that was one of the things that drew him to the job.
“Fitness was always one of my most important key points and it went along with firefighting,” he explained.
He did a lot of extra preparation for this competition and jogged in the mornings as well as going to gym in the afternoons, to get his body in tip-top shape. He believes he can still improve though. His biggest challenge is going to be the tower, he said.
“The tower is a tough one,” he explained laughingly.
For him one of the best things about being a firefighter is helping people and seeing the relief on their faces when they realise that help has arrived.
He also believes that the West Rand will have the Toughest Firefighter for 2019.
