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21 March 2025
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Firefighters lace up for charity run at Two Oceans Half Marathon to support Volunteer Wildfire Services
The City of Cape Town firefighters are back and geared up, for the Totalsports Two Oceans Half Marathon. This year, they’re joined by former Springbok hooker, James Dalton for the 21,1-kilometre run to raise some much-needed funds for the Volunteer Wildfire Services.
What started as a light-hearted challenge in 2017 has become an annual run to cast a spotlight on the critical work of the Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS).
City of Cape Town firefighters, Jermaine Carelse and Renaldo Duncan, were at the heart of the origin story; last year, they were joined by two volunteer firefighters from VWS and this year, former Springbok James Dalton is joining the scrum.
"Running this race for VWS is a privilege,’ said Dalton. ‘These men and women put their lives on the line to protect our communities and the natural landscapes of the Western Cape, and they do it without hesitation. The least I can do is lace up my running shoes to help them secure the resources they need to keep fighting fires. If we can raise enough funds to purchase a new vehicle for their fleet, it will make a real difference in their ability to respond swiftly and effectively."
VWS is one of the organisations involved in protecting Cape Town from the devastating wildfires that characterise summer in Cape Town. In recent years, that number has climbed steadily, with 9 498 non-structural fires recorded between October 2024 and 12 March 2025, compared to 9 135 during the same period the previous year.
This year, Jermaine and Renaldo will once again compete in the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon in their firefighting gear and self-containing breathing apparatus which weigh an additional 10 kilograms. They will be joined by VWS volunteer firefighters, Liam Gannon and Thomas Lennon, with James Dalton aiming to keep pace with the group.
"VWS is a registered NGO. We rely on public and corporate donations to cover essential operating costs such as fuel, vehicle maintenance, training, and personal protective equipment for our volunteer firefighters,’ said Jenny Scheffers, Chief Marketing Officer at Volunteer Wildfire Services. ‘At present, we have approximately 350 volunteers responding to fire calls whenever possible. It’s been yet another demanding fire season, and we’re not out of the woods yet."
"Our vehicles are in desperate need of replacement. We hope that funds raised through this initiative will allow us to purchase at least one rugged terrain vehicle to get our firefighters to the front lines. If anyone feels inspired by our runners and the dedication of our firefighters, we encourage you to make a donation to help us continue our work."
Donations to the VWS can be made directly via the website www.vws.org.za or through their social media pages:
Facebook: Volunteer Wildfire Services
Instagram: @vwsfires
"The partnerships we have with other firefighting entities like the Volunteer Wildfire Services is critical to our efforts to protect Cape Town. The VWS runs on the generosity of donors and passion of the volunteer firefighters. Match that with the passion of our firefighting duo of Jermaine Carelse and Renaldo Duncan and you have one of the most heart-warming initiatives that not only pays tribute to VWS and the work they do, but also fire safety awareness," said Alderman JP Smith, MMC for Safety and Security, City of Cape Town.
Source: City of Cape Town media office
Quote of the week
“Success does not consist in never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time.” ~ George Bernard Shaw
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Read it, use it and share it!
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Read the latest Disaster Management Journal: https://www.frimedia.org/dmj-vol-6-no-1.html
FRI magazine archive: https://www.frimedia.org/fri-archives.html
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Lee Raath-Brownie
Managing director
Cell: 082 371 0190
Contact us
Tel: 011 452 3135 or Email: [email protected]
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What started as a light-hearted challenge in 2017 has become an annual run to cast a spotlight on the critical work of the Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS).
City of Cape Town firefighters, Jermaine Carelse and Renaldo Duncan, were at the heart of the origin story; last year, they were joined by two volunteer firefighters from VWS and this year, former Springbok James Dalton is joining the scrum.
"Running this race for VWS is a privilege,’ said Dalton. ‘These men and women put their lives on the line to protect our communities and the natural landscapes of the Western Cape, and they do it without hesitation. The least I can do is lace up my running shoes to help them secure the resources they need to keep fighting fires. If we can raise enough funds to purchase a new vehicle for their fleet, it will make a real difference in their ability to respond swiftly and effectively."
VWS is one of the organisations involved in protecting Cape Town from the devastating wildfires that characterise summer in Cape Town. In recent years, that number has climbed steadily, with 9 498 non-structural fires recorded between October 2024 and 12 March 2025, compared to 9 135 during the same period the previous year.
This year, Jermaine and Renaldo will once again compete in the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon in their firefighting gear and self-containing breathing apparatus which weigh an additional 10 kilograms. They will be joined by VWS volunteer firefighters, Liam Gannon and Thomas Lennon, with James Dalton aiming to keep pace with the group.
"VWS is a registered NGO. We rely on public and corporate donations to cover essential operating costs such as fuel, vehicle maintenance, training, and personal protective equipment for our volunteer firefighters,’ said Jenny Scheffers, Chief Marketing Officer at Volunteer Wildfire Services. ‘At present, we have approximately 350 volunteers responding to fire calls whenever possible. It’s been yet another demanding fire season, and we’re not out of the woods yet."
"Our vehicles are in desperate need of replacement. We hope that funds raised through this initiative will allow us to purchase at least one rugged terrain vehicle to get our firefighters to the front lines. If anyone feels inspired by our runners and the dedication of our firefighters, we encourage you to make a donation to help us continue our work."
Donations to the VWS can be made directly via the website www.vws.org.za or through their social media pages:
Facebook: Volunteer Wildfire Services
Instagram: @vwsfires
"The partnerships we have with other firefighting entities like the Volunteer Wildfire Services is critical to our efforts to protect Cape Town. The VWS runs on the generosity of donors and passion of the volunteer firefighters. Match that with the passion of our firefighting duo of Jermaine Carelse and Renaldo Duncan and you have one of the most heart-warming initiatives that not only pays tribute to VWS and the work they do, but also fire safety awareness," said Alderman JP Smith, MMC for Safety and Security, City of Cape Town.
Source: City of Cape Town media office
Quote of the week
“Success does not consist in never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time.” ~ George Bernard Shaw
Fire and Rescue International is your magazine.
Read it, use it and share it!
Read the latest FRI magazine: https://www.frimedia.org/fri-vol-7-no-5.html
Read the latest Disaster Management Journal: https://www.frimedia.org/dmj-vol-6-no-1.html
FRI magazine archive: https://www.frimedia.org/fri-archives.html
DMJ magazine archive: https://www.frimedia.org/dmj-magazine.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/