Four firefighters completed the Totalsports Two Oceans half marathon on 6 April in full firefighting gear to raise funds for a number of firefighting bases, including Stellenbosch, Helderberg, South Peninsula, and Newlands. SMF News attended the event.
Two firefighters from the Volunteer Wildfire Services, Liam Gannon (left) and Thomas Lennon (right), cheering on the other runners at the Two Oceans half marathon on 6 April. PHOTO: Danielle Schaafsma
The foursome joined forces with former Springbok player James Dalton to raise funds for a new rugged terrain vehicle for the Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS), a non-profit organisation with volunteers who help fight wildfires across the Western Cape, said Jermaine Carelse, the City of Cape Town (CoCT) Fire and Rescue Services Division commander and spokesperson.
The VWS currently has a “25-year-old Land Rover” that does the job but is inefficient, so a new vehicle is very much needed, said Thomas Lennon, a VWS firefighter.
Through donations, VWS has raised over R200 000 from this event, according to Jenny Scheffers, VWS chief marketing officer.
Four firefighters finishing the last 300 metres of the Two Oceans half marathon on 6 April. SMF News was in attendance. From left to right: Liam Gannon (a Volunteer Wildfire Services firefighter), Renaldo Duncan (a City of Cape Town firefighter), Jermaine Carelse (City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services Division commander and spokesperson), and Thomas Lennon (Volunteer Wildfire Services firefighter). PHOTO: Danielle Schaafsma
Carelse and Renaldo Duncan, a CoCT firefighter, completed the 21.1km run with their full gear kits and 18.1kg of extra weight. According to Gannon, the challenge of completing the marathon was not enough, they had to add their gear to the mix to truly make it challenging.
“[It’s great] to be able to run and showcase VWS on the road, doing something a bit more crazy than we normally do,” said Lennon shortly after the race. “I mean, for us running up a mountain isn’t crazy anymore.”
A City of Cape Town fire truck stopped next to Ladies Mile Road, supporting the firefighters who took part in the Two Oceans half marathon on 6 April. The funds raised will be used for a rugged terrain vehicle for the Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS) because their “vehicles are in desperate need of replacement”, according to Jenny Scheffers, VWS’s chief marketing officer. PHOTO: Danielle Schaafsma
At the different water points along the route, both Duncan and Carelse were doused with water in an attempt to cool them down. While this helped with their body temperatures, “the more water they [threw], the heavier the suit got”, said Carelse.
City of Cape Town (CoCT) Fire and Rescue Services firefighter, Renaldo Duncan, greeting spectators at the side of the road while running the Two Oceans half marathon on 6 April. PHOTO: Danielle Schaafsma
“I feel dead on my feet,” said Carelse after the race. “If it wasn’t for Liam [Gannon] and Tom [Lennon] carrying most of our water and stuff, and keeping us focused on the task, we would have really struggled. The heat played a massive role.”