HESSEQUA NEWS - In its determined efforts to combat unemployment, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment Working on Fire Programme in the Western Cape in partnership with Hessequa Municipality has opened two new bases creating employment for 25 previously unemployed young people in Heidelberg and Slangriver areas.

The group recently returned from extensive 25-day training in Mpumalanga where they learned veld and forest firefighting skills that covered advanced firefighting, fire safety, and other specialised skills.

During their recruitment, the new firefighters had to go through a fitness test and only those who passed were selected.

Working on Fire selection criteria includes a fitness test which consists of 40 push-ups, 40 sit-ups as well as running 2,4 km in 14 minutes for females and 12 minutes for males.

The two teams will be based in the Hessequa Municipality region in Heidelberg at the bases called Slangriver and Duiwenhoek. 

The establishment of the two teams will bring the number of teams in the Hessequa to seven. 

These teams are Riversdale, two teams in Albertinia, Melkhoutfontein and Gouritsmond.

Working on Fire in the Western Cape has 30 bases in total.

General Manager, Melany Duthie-Surtie said the new teams will provide the necessary ground crew support to Hessequa Municipality as well as the Garden Route District Municipality in terms of integrated fire management.

“Previously the closest teams to the Western border of the Hessequa region were Swellendam and Riversdale which are far apart from each other. The two teams could not sufficiently service the area between the two towns. The two new teams will close that gap,” she said.

“We have a very good partnership with the Hessequa Municipality as well as the mayor. They made it possible for these teams to be established,” she said.

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