The City of Cape Town honours the Cape’s Fire-fighters and Rescue workers

The City of Cape Town and its residents rightfully honoured the Cape’s Fire-fighters and Rescue workers on International Fire-fighters Day, May 2 2015 at Zandvlei recreational area.

This event marked a special occasion for the Capes fire-fighters especially after they laid their lives on the line battling some of the worst fires in the Cape’s history this summer.

Cape Fire burns on the Southern slopes of the Cape mountain range. Pic Jacques Unshakable West

This summer season fires razed over 300 000 hectares with fires in more than 300 locations across the Western Cape.

Not too long ago we witnessed the fire-fighters battling one of Cape Town’s biggest fires first hand as the flames swept from Muizenberg across Ou Kaapse Weg through Silvermine and Tokai Forest’s to Constantia and Hout Bay.

For days our braves fire-fighters and rescue services battled the blaze, just when they doused this fire they were called out to battle a fire high in the mountains of Bains Kloof.

Fire-fighting services vehicles on display Zandvlei recreational park in Muizenberg pic: Working on Fire

A dry summer with hot and windy conditions created high fire danger conditions.

In the face of their best efforts a number of fighters lost their lives, a reminder of the dangerous conditions under which our fire-fighters operate.

The people of Cape Town came out in their numbers to celebrate International Fire-fighters Day and to personally thank their heroes for keeping them safe.

The event started with a cavalcade of fire-fighting services vehicles leaving from the Roeland Street Fire Station travelling to Zandvlei recreational park in Muizenberg.

After a remembrance service to honour the fallen fire-fighters, rescue workers and fire-fighters put on a display to showcase their skills and vehicles.

The event ended with a ceremony awarding the top achievers in Cape Town’s Fire Services.

The International Fire-fighters Day is celebrated annually since 1999 among the fire-fighting community to commemorate the efforts of these brave men and women’s commitment and dedication to their work and to remember the sacrifices of those who lost their lives answering the call of duty.

St Florian’s Day is celebrated as a ‘Day of Service’ on the 4^th day of May.

St Florian, the patron saint of fire-fighters. He was the commander of a fire-fighting squad in the Roman Empire and lost his life in fire-fighting service to the public.