New breed of firefighters receive certificates

The Vhembe District Municipality reinforced its firefighting capacity by training more than 60 new firefighters.

They completed a 40-hour elementary firefighting and rescue course and received their certificates a fortnight ago. The function was held at the DWAF Hall in Thohoyandou.

Mr Joseph Mpenyana, who coordinated the course, said the approaching winter months meant more incidents of fire and this compelled the municipality to be more vigilant and ready. He said fires could occur everywhere, and offices, water plants, purification plants and all municipal installations needed trained personnel who could at least deal with any eventuality at a basic level until the more suitably qualified people arrived.

"We have to be ready and our workforce should at least have knowledge on how to use fire extinguishers that will put them in a position to deal with any type of fire at a basic level and not just run away without doing anything when fire breaks out," he said.

Addressing the recipients, the community services manager at the Vhembe District, Mr Alex Nemakonde, said they had qualified personnel in the various departments and it was their wish for each and every member in the technical department to do that course. Nemakonde said firefighting skills were a scarce resource and in demand in the country. "As we move towards 2010, more and more firefighters will be needed as volunteers and the certificates you received today will stand you in good stead for selection," he said. He urged the recipients to do some advanced courses and keep training as fitness is the order of the day in the firefighting trade and allows one to carry the equipment. He urged them to plough back into their communities what they have learnt.

The chief fire officer at the municipality, Mr Tshimangadzo Mphigalale, said the municipality was determined to fight fire on all fronts. He said the knowledge they acquired puts them in a position to can fight fire at any given time. "Today we empower you to fight fire at your own locality and we would like you to be good ambassadors of the municipality wherever you are; keep the municipal flag hoisted," he said.

The technical manager at the municipality, Mr Nyadzani Tshivhenga, said the municipality stood to gain from the training. He said it was encouraging to see many old people take part in the course and the determination they showed during training.

"As a municipality, we have to make sure that our assets are secure, and you are the right people to help us reach that goal," he said.

Germinah Selapyane, who received a certificate, said they were going to make a meaningful contribution to their communities. "We did not know what to do when fires broke out, but now we can stand on our feet and fight fires. We can even advise our communities on the dangers of fires," she said

News - Date: 25 April 2008

Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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