It's getting HOT in here🔥🔥🔥 !

       
Is it just me or have we been seeing a lot of these beauties around Cape Town.
By Lisalee Solomons.

Picture taken by LisaleeSolomons at the Roeland Street Fire Station in Cape Town.

Summer in Cape Town has officially reached its exiting point (for which I am so glad for), So I think its only fair that I show abit of appreciation for the many men and females that courageously sacrificed their life to put out blazing fires in and around Cape Town during the very hot days we experienced during the heatwave period from December to mid March, sometimes having to work right through the night because of very strong winds that interrupt them from doing their works so diligently.

Now, its not everyday where you'll find people from the public offering up their time to go and spend some time at a local fire station, so when the opportunity arose for me to go and see what life is like at Roeland Street fire station, not only was I super excited to see these massive trucks, but I was  more inquisitive to see the many female fire fighters working at this station. #Yaaaaaasladies!

Cape Town has predominately 30 fire stations, but the one in Roeland street which is just 17 mins away from the Cape Town International airport and approximately 18.8km via the N2, you definitely cannot miss its huge building with a regular announcement being announced over its indoor intercom which is usually broadcast for the firemen and fire women, but the intercom is loud, so you literally can hear what the announcement is if you walking or driving pass the station (don't worry, it's all PG rated). It's mostly a call for trucks to be parked in the parking area, or a roll-call of who's on duty or the famous fire drill which happens twice on a daily bases.  

Video captured by Lisalee Solomons at the Roeland Street Fire Station in Cape Town.

Video captured by Lisalee Solomons outside the Roeland Street Fire Station in Cape Town. 

Picture taken by LisaleeSolomons at the Roeland Street Fire Station in Cape Town. 

What is quite fun to know about these fire brigade trucks is that it only carries a limited amount of water to disperse fires, and carries the tools that will be needed, basic fireman equipment and of course, the hoses needed by the firefighters. What I found quite fascinating upon my visit to the fire station was that, once the water has been used up for the fire, there is an additional feature of engines called the pre-connect hose lines,(You probably squinting your eyes and mumbling 'a what?')

Don't worry, it was Chinese to me to!  

However, its quite easy to explain. It's basically attached to the Fire trucks engine on-board supply which then allows firefighters to quickly mount an aggressive attack as soon they get to a fire scene. So when the on-board water supply then runs out, the engine is then connected to a more permanent source such as the fore hydrants or the water tenders, it can also source natural sauces from rivers or reservoirs by drafting of it s water. How fascinating is that!! Me? I'd personally love to see that live. 

You'd think that only men would be interested in this line of work, or interested in these massive trucks these firefighters get to drive on a daily bases and see these huge flames, but you'd be mistaken. I spent about 1h:30mins  just listening to some of the firefighters stories and seeing how they prepare for the day (they basically just hang around, play Uno, dominoes, decide what they eating for lunch or doing reports on the previous days work) it's really a chilled life they have until the call comes for them to come and disperse the blazes.  

George Steenkamp,43, indicated that "every day is not always about fires, sometimes they get called out to a home near a mountain where there is absolutely no fire, but an old fragile lady is in such a state because her little cat is stuck in one massive long tree and has no way to climb down (sounds like a movie), which is funny because cats climb everywhere and usually always land on their feet wherever they may find themselves, so they will use there turntable ladder to gain access to the cat." Tough job hey! 

Picture taken by Lisalee Solomons at the Roeland Street Fire Station in Cape Town. 

Most of the firefighters indicated that January and February are usually when they get called out most for fires, which is no surprise because those 2 months are usually the hottest months of the year in Cape Town so they are always well prepared and ready for the call. The adrenaline is insane and they love what they do and wouldn't change any of it for the world. 

We thank all our brave firemen and fire women for dedicating their lives and sometimes family time to keep people and animals safe.  

                                                                                                                                                         

Video captured by Lisalee Solomons at the Roeland Street Fire Station in Cape Town.

A special thank you to the Firemen and Firewomen at the Roeland Street Fire Station in Cape Town for their time in showing me around the building, and a huge thank you to Mr. George Steenkamp for offering up some of your time to speak to me about the work that you do on a daily bases.