Local firefighters douse international competitors in toughness contest

Cape Town firefighters walked away with 13 gold, 10 silver and one bronze medal at this year’s Toughest Firefighter Alive competition held in George over the weekend.

Baigum Abrahams, of Westridge Fire Station in Mitchell’s Plain, retained her title as the Toughest Female Firefighter Alive for the third year running, this time sharing the top spot with her colleague Thobeka Senatse of Kraaifontein.

Abrahams also walked away with gold in the 30 to 34 age category, while Senatse won gold in the women’s 45 to 49 age category.

In addition, the two women joined by Nomvuyiseko Lungile of Simons Town and Andiswa Stafa of Mitchell’s Plain, won gold in the women’s relay. Lungile and Stafa added silver to their tally for individual categories.

In the men’s categories Jermaine Carelse, of Goodwood, won gold in the 50 to 54 age category.

In the over-40s men’s relay category the team of Luton Grobbelaar, of Wynberg, Carelse, Mohammed Toufiek Armien of Hout Bay and Rudi van der Berg of Lakeside won gold.

In the men’s open relay category, the team of Aneeb Moses of Epping,  Bevan Jacobs of Constantia, Timothy Malan of Hout Bay and Clint Fredericks of Kommetjie Road won silver. Individual silver medals went to Malan in the 19 to 29, Frank Forbay of Lakesidein the 55 to 59 and Van der Berg in the 45 to 49 age categories.

An individual bronze medal went to Grobbelaar.

Volunteers from the City’s Disaster Risk Management also took part in the competition. Angie Geyser, stationed at Milnerton, won a silver medal in the women’s 19-29 category.

The competition tests firefighters’ mental and physical fitness and simulates firefighting scenarios.

More than 250 firefighters and 44 relay teams from across the country participated. They were joined by teams from Botswana and Namibia.

“Their achievements at the competition just cements what we already know,” said Mayco member for Safety and Security, JP Smith. “They are some of the toughest, bravest and most dedicated women and men in the country. Congratulations to the team, who not only did us proud against their counterparts, but who have us saluting them every day as they step into the flames to save lives and property.”