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1 December 2023
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Special edition: Toughest Firefighter Alive 2023
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This special edition of the FRI Newsletter features the recently held Toughest Firefighter Alive South Africa. We share various inspirational feedbacks and the impact that training and preparing for the TFA has had on the participants, the teams and their vocation as firefighters in general. The importance of fitness, teamwork and camaraderie, leadership and mentoring in the fire service is paramount and this reflected in most of the feedback received. Enjoy the read!
Mark Smith, one of the founders of Toughest Firefighter Alive South Africa and the NPO, Firefighters for Excellence, shared, “The Eighth of the Toughest Firefighter Alive event held in Mossel Bay was a great success with a record number for a firefighting event in South Africa with 161 individual participants and 46 relay teams participating.”
Winners
Emile Conrad of the Garden Route District Municipality won the male individual overall winner, with Luvuyo Smith of Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (CDSIA) winning the best male newcomer award.
Maithamako Moswete of West Rand winning the overall female winner as well as the best female newcomer award.
The West Rand team won the male and female team awards, for the second year running, for their top four competitors having the best finish.
The male relay open event was won by the City of Cape Town, with the Cape Town team also finishing joint winners with the Midvaal team in the over 40 category and the West Rand winning the female relay event.
Smith added, “The Toughest Firefighter Alive is more than a competition and aims to develop individuals, restore regional pride and enhance community relationships. The event highlighted the resilience of the South African firefighter who prevailed in difficult adverse weather conditions. The event is not for the faint-hearted. The competitor’s mental strength was put to the test as they battled to overcome the four stages of the circuit, in strong winds and pouring rain.”
“The TFA attracts firefighters who are strong-willed, go-getter type of people, who constantly want to challenge themselves and are not content to remain in their comfort zone. Every person who competes has their own reason for doing the event, be it to win, complete the event or prove a point to themselves and/or others,” said Smith.
“The TFA equips firefighters mentally and physically to deal with the challenges of firefighting and rescues. The stop-go nature of the event closely replicates conditions that firefighters experience in their daily performance of their duties. They often have to recover mentally and physically as they respond from one difficult call to another. The TFA allows leaders to develop as they come to the fore, often guiding and encouraging others to compete. Regional pride and comradery is restored as teams represent their regions with team members spurring each other on.”
He concluded, “Finally, the TFA Mossel Bay was characterised by great teamwork from all parties who made the event possible. The Mossel Bay Municipality, ably supported by the Garden Route Municipality and various volunteer organisations can take great pride in their role in furthering the TFA to becoming the premier firefighting event in South Africa and providing the benchmark for further competitions. TFA-SA salutes the various municipalities, volunteer organisations, airport companies for sending their teams to participate in the event. It is envisioned that the event will continue to grow from strength to strength in every aspect and it is also trusted that the various entities will continue to benefit from the media exposure, as well as having fitter and more motivated staff to serve our communities with excellence and passion.”
Fire and Rescue International will be running a more indepth article in the next edition of the magazine. We commend the founders of Toughest Firefighter Alive South Africa and the numerous role players in the organising of yet another successful event. We are honoured and proud to be part of this event and witness and share the significant impact it has on the firefighting fraternity. To all participants know that you are all winners. See you all in 2024!
GALLERY
RESULTS: Individuals
RESULTS: Relay teams
Quote of the week
“Egos eat brains” ~ Chief Alan Brunacini
Fire and Rescue International is your magazine.
Read it, use it and share it!
Read the latest magazine: https://www.frimedia.org/fri-vol-7-no-2.html
FRI magazine archive: https://www.frimedia.org/fri-archives.html
Enjoy the read!
Lee Raath-Brownie
Managing director
Cell: 082 371 0190
Contact us
Tel: 011 452 3135 or Email: [email protected]
Websites
www.fireandrescue.co
www.frimedia.org
Facebook
www.facebook.com/FireandRescueInternational
Twitter
www.twitter.com/FRI_magazine
LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-raath-brownie-16668065/
Mark Smith, one of the founders of Toughest Firefighter Alive South Africa and the NPO, Firefighters for Excellence, shared, “The Eighth of the Toughest Firefighter Alive event held in Mossel Bay was a great success with a record number for a firefighting event in South Africa with 161 individual participants and 46 relay teams participating.”
Winners
Emile Conrad of the Garden Route District Municipality won the male individual overall winner, with Luvuyo Smith of Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (CDSIA) winning the best male newcomer award.
Maithamako Moswete of West Rand winning the overall female winner as well as the best female newcomer award.
The West Rand team won the male and female team awards, for the second year running, for their top four competitors having the best finish.
The male relay open event was won by the City of Cape Town, with the Cape Town team also finishing joint winners with the Midvaal team in the over 40 category and the West Rand winning the female relay event.
Smith added, “The Toughest Firefighter Alive is more than a competition and aims to develop individuals, restore regional pride and enhance community relationships. The event highlighted the resilience of the South African firefighter who prevailed in difficult adverse weather conditions. The event is not for the faint-hearted. The competitor’s mental strength was put to the test as they battled to overcome the four stages of the circuit, in strong winds and pouring rain.”
“The TFA attracts firefighters who are strong-willed, go-getter type of people, who constantly want to challenge themselves and are not content to remain in their comfort zone. Every person who competes has their own reason for doing the event, be it to win, complete the event or prove a point to themselves and/or others,” said Smith.
“The TFA equips firefighters mentally and physically to deal with the challenges of firefighting and rescues. The stop-go nature of the event closely replicates conditions that firefighters experience in their daily performance of their duties. They often have to recover mentally and physically as they respond from one difficult call to another. The TFA allows leaders to develop as they come to the fore, often guiding and encouraging others to compete. Regional pride and comradery is restored as teams represent their regions with team members spurring each other on.”
He concluded, “Finally, the TFA Mossel Bay was characterised by great teamwork from all parties who made the event possible. The Mossel Bay Municipality, ably supported by the Garden Route Municipality and various volunteer organisations can take great pride in their role in furthering the TFA to becoming the premier firefighting event in South Africa and providing the benchmark for further competitions. TFA-SA salutes the various municipalities, volunteer organisations, airport companies for sending their teams to participate in the event. It is envisioned that the event will continue to grow from strength to strength in every aspect and it is also trusted that the various entities will continue to benefit from the media exposure, as well as having fitter and more motivated staff to serve our communities with excellence and passion.”
Fire and Rescue International will be running a more indepth article in the next edition of the magazine. We commend the founders of Toughest Firefighter Alive South Africa and the numerous role players in the organising of yet another successful event. We are honoured and proud to be part of this event and witness and share the significant impact it has on the firefighting fraternity. To all participants know that you are all winners. See you all in 2024!
GALLERY
RESULTS: Individuals
RESULTS: Relay teams
Quote of the week
“Egos eat brains” ~ Chief Alan Brunacini
Fire and Rescue International is your magazine.
Read it, use it and share it!
Read the latest magazine: https://www.frimedia.org/fri-vol-7-no-2.html
FRI magazine archive: https://www.frimedia.org/fri-archives.html
Enjoy the read!
Lee Raath-Brownie
Managing director
Cell: 082 371 0190
Contact us
Tel: 011 452 3135 or Email: [email protected]
Websites
www.fireandrescue.co
www.frimedia.org
www.facebook.com/FireandRescueInternational
www.twitter.com/FRI_magazine
http://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-raath-brownie-16668065/